Lewisville workshop speaker urges residents to turn connections into civic action for 2035 plan

Angela Self, planning director for the City of Cedar Hill, told a packed Lewisville workshop that everyday interactions and trust are the foundation for lasting community planning.

“What does it take to build community?” Self asked during the presentation on community building tied to Lewisville’s 2035 planning process. She said community forms from shared values, places and repeated everyday interactions — from grocery-store greetings to regular visits to local trails and coffee shops — and encouraged attendees to convert those relationships into collaborative civic action.

Self, who the meeting host identified as a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners, described community-building as a process of connection, collaboration and trust. “If you serve food, most times people will come,” she said, giving a practical example of how informal gatherings can start civic engagement. She also urged attendees to look for simple ways to meet neighbors: “Just a hello, my name is,” she said, calling on residents to introduce themselves to at least one person they did not know before leaving the event.

Members of the audience offered brief examples of local community activities during a question-and-answer portion. One resident said, “My church does a lot of volunteer events,” and another noted a book club that meets in Old Town. A third attendee mentioned group hikes at Lila and local music nights as examples of community-building activities.

City of Lewisville Planning Director Richard Lutke opened and closed the session. At the end of the evening he told attendees the workshop series will continue, saying, “We’ll be having, I believe, three more of these workshops as we go through the process of forming the 2035 plan.” He encouraged residents to sign in and use the project website QR code to stay involved.

The presentation linked everyday social habits and civic trust to the longer timeline for comprehensive planning. Self said communities that sustain trust and regular engagement are more likely to carry multi‑year projects forward; she recounted her experience in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, noting that some projects can take five, 10 or even 20 years to realize when community relationships are nurtured.

The workshop continued with attendees invited to review information boards in the lobby and submit comments to inform the Lewisville 2035 plan. No votes, motions or formal government actions were recorded in the transcript of the session.