Business Resources


A Guide to Doing Business in Downtown Statesville


Business Road Map: Before Signing a Lease or Buying a Building is a checklist for you to ensure that the property you are interested in is zoned properly for your businesses needs or qualifies for a change of use. You should complete this process before continuing forward with your business plan.

Your Guide for Doing Business in Downtown Statesville is our effort to make it easier to expand, relocate, or start a business by providing handy, valuable information – all in one place. As a general reference, you will find this guide useful in contacting the appropriate local, county, and state departments for your needs. It is meant to be a resource for obtaining contact information for permits, licenses, and other information necessary for starting, expanding, and conducting business. 


Download Business Road Map: Before Signing a Lease or Buying a Building

Download Your Guide to Doing Business in Downtown Statesville

Signage and Awning Permits


When considering signage for your downtown business we encourage all businesses to meet with the Planning Department first before any signs are created or installed. This will assist in understand all the different types of signs that are permitted in the downtown district, the amount of signage that will be allowed on your building and to understand the process required to obtain sign permits.

Contact Marci Sigmon in the City of Statesville Planning Department at 704-878-3578.


Download Sign Ordinance Overview

Design Review Guidelines


Any exterior changes you might be considering on a building located in the CB: Central Business District, CBP: Central Business Perimeter and the Downtown Municipal Service District must follow the Downtown Design Guidelines (available for download here) and you must receive approval from the City of Statesville Design Review Committee before any work begins.

To discuss your project or request a Design Review Application, please contact Marci Sigmon in the City of Statesville Planning Department at 704-878-3578 or [email protected]


Download Design Review Guidelines

Design Assistance


All businesses located in the downtown district are welcome to take advantage of expert design assistance available through North Carolina Main Street.

Please contact DSDC at 704-878-3436 or [email protected] to discuss this opportunity and application process.


Contact Us To Get Started

Vibrancy Grant Program


The architectural quality of Statesville’s downtown area is important to the entire community, its history, image and economy. Proper improvements to the exterior appearances of individual buildings will help develop the appropriate image and improve the visual appearance of downtown. Therefore, it is important that an organized and coordinated approach to exterior improvements be followed in the downtown area.

The following guidelines should be followed by property owners, tenants, contractors, or repairman involved in exterior improvements or rehabilitation to buildings in the downtown area. They will be used by the DSDC Design Committee in approving the Vibrancy Improvement Incentive Grant for renovation requests for projects in the downtown area. The applications are reviewed by the DSDC Design Committee and awarded on a case by case basis.

Businesses within the Downtown Statesville municipal service district can download a copy of the guidelines and application below or call our office 704-878-3436 to discuss your sign ideas.

Download Vibrancy Grant Guidelines

Download Vibrancy Grant Application

We look forward to seeing you Downtown!