The authority of the Board and SEDC Staff to oversee the financing and implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategic plan (CEDS) resides in the Bylaws, Article IV: Functional Corporate Duties and Requirements, Section 4.1.  Final approval of the plan is required by the City Council.  The first Comprehensive Economic Development Strategic Plan (CEDS 1.0) was completed in 2006, followed by CEDS 2.0 developed in 2010.  Both plans have served the City of Schertz as a roadmap for economic development, but many aspects of the 2010 plan needed revisions due to the growth of the city, changes in business and industry, rapidly evolving technologies and growing challenges to provide a talented workforce to support the local eco-system for economic development.

The goal of the project was to engage in a contract for professional services to develop a new comprehensive economic development strategic plan for consideration and final approval by the City Council.  On January 22, 2026, the City of Schertz Economic Development Board approved  a contract with TIP Strategies, Inc. to develop a three-year plan to guide SEDC’s next phase of growth and vision for Schertz’s economic future.  The consultant led discussions to develop a shared vision for Schertz developed during five site visits, 21 personal interviews with key stakeholders and city leaders, 10 roundtable sessions and over 50 individual stakeholder participants that included an Advisory Committee, SEDC and Planning staff members, the SEDC Board of Directors, and small business and major employers. 

In addition to community engagement, the comprehensive strategic plan helped focus available resources to achieve three main goals following an economic assessment, workforce and educational institution analysis, target industry analysis, business and industrial park strategies, marketing strategies and a three-year implementation plan.

The main benefit of a comprehensive economic development plan is the creation of a community roadmap for economic development based on research, interactions with leaders, elected and appointed officials, small business, stakeholders and regional partners.  Having a CEDS plan contributes to long-term fiscal sustainability by ensuring a diversified tax base through retention and attraction of businesses.  It focuses on data-informed growth that allows policy decisions that produce measurable wins, and structures future growth based on distinct regional commercial real estate advantages that exist, such as large facility mega sites.  It provides continued focus on infrastructure, shovel-ready sites and enhancement of small business programs to create a strategic posture for future opportunities and challenges. 

During the regular meeting of the Schertz Economic Development Board on June 25, the Board reviewed a final presentation by TIP Strategies of the plan and voted unanimously (5-0) requesting that the SEDC Staff forward a recommendation to City Council for approval of the Schertz Comprehensive Economic Development Plan. 

FISCAL IMPACT
No current impacts.  All fiscal impacts will be budgeted on an annual basis. 

The SEDC Board and Staff recommend the acceptance of the 2026 Comprehensive Economic Development Plan.