Northwest Austin Edition | January 2026

The e-edition is an exact replica of the newspaper with interactive and searchable articles from all your favorite sections.

Northwest Austin Edition VOLUME 19, ISSUE 12 FEB. 4MARCH 3, 2026

2026 Voter Guide

Brought to you by our gold sponsors: 2026 Health & Wellness Edition

Austin park growth slows following new law

By Ben Thompson

While the Northern Walnut Creek Trail section opened in the last few years, there are still several sections of the regional trail project in progress. A law passed in 2023 has now limited the city’s ability to acquire new parkland or fund recreational improvements. (Courtesy Austin Parks and Recreation Department)

Sip and bank for a while. Our doors are now open near the Arboretum. Say hello at 11680A Research Blvd, near 183 and Duval Rd.

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Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity. About Community Impact

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Reporters Brittany Anderson Katlynn Fox Dacia Garcia Manuel Holguin Jr. Haley McLeod Michael Milliorn Hannah Norton Daniel Schwalm Brooke Sjoberg Ben Thompson Joel Valley Gracie Warhurst Sienna Wight Chloe Young Graphic Designers Abbey Eckhardt Alissa Foss Abigail Jones Sabrina Musachia

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Impacts

items include cold brew, matcha, and a food menu with items such as egg bites and lemon blueberry bread. • Opened in November • 2900 N. Quinlan Park Road, Ste. 230, Austin • www.jaspercoffeeatx.com 5 Oumi Sushi The restaurant’s menu features all-you-can-eat options, udon, fried rice, sushi rolls, hand rolls, teriyaki, tempura, appetizers and dessert. Diners can pair their meals with sake, bottled and draft beer, house wine, specialty cocktails, and nonalcoholic beverages. • Opened Dec. 29 • 13945 N. US 183, Ste. D-180, Austin • www.oumisushi.com 6 Planet Fitness The gym chain offers cardio and strength training equipment, free fitness classes and community amenities such as locker rooms, showers and free Wi-Fi. Black Card memberships provide access to massage chairs, tanning beds and free guest passes. • Opened in December • 13729 N. US 183, Ste. 1200, Austin • www.planetfitness.com 7 Vua Bun Bo The restaurant serves Vietnamese noodle soups, sides such as beef ribs and crab balls, Chinese donuts and

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Vietnamese milk coffee. • Opened in December • 10901 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. A101, Austin • 512-745-4690

• 11811 Domain Drive, Austin • www.flipwash.com

Now open

1 Eterna Jewels The jewelry store sells rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, charms and bridal items at The Domain. • Opened in December • 3220 Amy Donovan Plaza, Ste. 116, Austin • www.eternajewels.com 2 FlipWash Operating out of the Blue Garage at Domain Northside, the business provides car washes and detailing services such as exterior waxes, paint corrections, leather seat treatments and headlight restoration. • Opened in December

3 Game Show Battle Rooms The venue offers an interactive entertainment experience in a game show format for private parties, networking events, corporate events and more. Games include Survey Battles, Spin and Solve, and What’s That Cost. • Opened in November • 3220 Feathergrass Court, Ste. 128, Austin • www.gameshowbattlerooms.com 4 Jasper Coffee Located inside A Health and Wellness Shop, the pop-up coffee shop serves seasonal coffee drinks such as the smoked pecan pie latte and maple sea salt latte. Other

Coming soon

8 PickleRage The franchised pickleball facility will open in the Anderson Arbor shopping center and feature nine indoor pickleball courts, a player lounge, retail offerings and programming such as leagues, clinics and lessons. • Opening in mid-2026 • 13435 N. US 183, Austin • www.picklerage.com

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9 SOHO Asian Fusion The restaurant will serve a variety of Asian dishes such as Vietnamese spring rolls, Shanghai soup dumplings, Thai-style curry, Korean barbecue short ribs, Japanese chicken katsu, Taiwanese-style stir fry and other appetizers alongside rice, noodle and meat dishes. • Opening in late January • 4300 N. Quinlan Park Road, Ste. 120, Austin • 512-215-8516 10 Ugly Dumpling The restaurant’s first Texas location will serve soup dumplings, dim sum, wontons, noodles, various meat options and more at The Arboretum. • Opening in late January/early February • 10000 Research Blvd., Austin • www.uglydumpling.us

Now open

Coming soon

14 Cafe Java The cafe, which opened its third Austin-area location and first new location in 20 years, has a selection of coffees, teas and juices and a range of breakfast and lunch offerings. • Opened Jan. 12 • 12129 RM 620, Ste. 120, Austin • www.thecafejava.com

16 Baldinucci Pizza Romana The local and family-owned restaurant will launch its second location at Domain Northside, serving gourmet pizzas by the slice such as the sausage and honey and arugula with balsamic glaze. • Opening in the spring • 11501 Rock Rose Ave., Ste. 146, Austin • www.baldinucci.pizza

What’s next PERMITS FILED WITH THE TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

11 Aesop The luxury Australian cosmetics brand sells items such as facial serums and exfoliants, hand balms, body oils, hair grooming products and offers a perfume range. The brand also carries home fragrance items such as room sprays, candles and incense. Construction could begin in March, per the filing. • 11624 Rock Rose Ave., Ste. 100, Austin • www.aesop.com 12 Crunch Fitness The gym offers cardio and strength training equipment, personal training classes and other amenities such as red light therapy and water massage beds. Construction could be complete by September, per the filing. • 8666 Spicewood Springs Road, Austin • www.crunch.com 13 Haidilao The restaurant is known for its Chinese hot pot experience featuring sliced meats, seafood, vegetables, noodles and dumplings cooked tableside in a choice of broth. Construction could begin in March, per the filing. • 11824 Rock Rose Ave., Ste. 160, Austin • www.haidilao-inc.com

parking lot of Michi Ramen and serves milkshakes and small batch, seasonal specialty ice creams offered on a rotating basis, including vegan options. • Opened in January

In the news

15 Kedplasma The plasma donation center, which opened in January, compensates donors with a prepaid debit card and uses donations in medicinal products and to treat severe and rare diseases. The center is the first Austin-area location. • 10807 N I-35 frontage road, Austin • www.kedplasma.us

• 6519 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin • Instagram: @milkmadeatx

Closings

17 Hissy Fit The restaurant first opened in October 2024 and served breakfast, lunch and dinner. • Closed in early January • 9761 Great Hills Trail, Ste. B, Austin • Instagram: @hissyfitatx

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Election

BY GRACE DICKENS

Voter Guide

2026

Dates to know

Where to vote

Feb. 17: First day of early voting Feb. 20: Last day to apply for a ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) Feb. 27: Last day of early voting March 3: Election day and the last day for counties to receive completed mail-in ballots (or 5 p.m. March 4 if the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. on election day)

Travis County residents can vote at any polling location during early voting or on Election Day. Visit www.votetravis.gov for polling locations. Williamson County voters can cast their ballot at any open polling location during early voting. However, on Election Day voters in both primaries will have to use a polling location in their precinct. Visit www.wilcotx.gov/elections for polling locations.

Only candidates in contested elections are included. Go to county election websites for information on uncontested races.

KEY: D Democrat R Republican *Incumbent

Lieutenant governor R Timothy Mabry R Perla Muñoz Hopkins R Dan Patrick* R Esala Wueschner

U.S. House, District 17 D Milah Flores D J. Gordon Mitchell D Casey Shepard U.S. House, District 37 R Ge’Nell Gary

Sample ballot

State elections U.S. Senate R John O. Adefope R Anna Bender R Virgil John Bierschwale

D Vikki Goodwin D Courtney Head

R Lauren B. Peña R Janet Malzahn State representative, District 47 D Joseph Kopser D Pooja Sethi State representative, District 50 D Nathan Boynton D John Hash D Jeremy Hendricks D Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch D Samantha Lopez-Resendez D William Rannefeld

D Marcos Velez Attorney general R Joan Huffman R Mayes Middleton R Aaron Reitz R Chip Roy D Anthony “Tony” Box D Joe Jaworski D Nathan Johnson U.S. House District 10 R Rob Altman R Ben Bius R Jessica Karlsruher R Chris Gober R Robert Brown R Brandon Hawbaker R Kara King R Scott MacLeod R Jenny Garcia Sharon R Jeremy Story D Dawn Marshall D Bernie Reyna D Caitlin Rourk U.S. House, District 11 D Claire Reynolds D Pedro (Pete) Ruiz

R Sara Canady R John Cornyn* R Wesley Hunt R Gulrez “Gus” Khan R Ken Paxton

D Jasmine Crockett D Ahmad R. Hassan D James Talarico Governor R Greg Abbott* R R.F. “Bob” Achgill R Charles Andrew Crouch R Evelyn Brooks R Pete “Doc” Chambers R Arturo Espinosa R Mark V. Goloby R Kenneth Hyde R Stephen Samuelson R Ronnie Tullos

Local elections Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 2

D Reese Ricci Armstrong D Rick Astray-Caneda III D Amanda Marzullo D Brigid Shea* Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2 D Mariel Kelley D Randall Slagle*

R Nathaniel Welch D Patricia Abrego D Chris Bell

SOURCE: TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

D Bobby Cole D Carlton Hart D Gina Hinojosa D Jose Navarro Balbuena

D Faizan Syed D Zach Vance D Angela “Tia Angie” Villescaz

NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION

Transportation

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON

Ongoing projects

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620 Update: new storm drain pipe has been installed; remaining work includes video inspection of the new pipe, decommissioning some of the existing system, repaving, restoring native plants • Timeline: completion expected in spring 2026 • Cost: $2.1 million • Funding source: 2018 drainage bonds 2 Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction (Phase 4) Project: reducing the risk of flooding along Little Walnut Creek and diverting floodwaters from the creek to underground culverts, expanding a stormwater detention pond, replacing and upgrading water and wastewater lines, and adding a shared-use path Update: Phase 4 completed in December, including completion of stormwater and wastewater infrastructure in the road and paving the project; contractor is working on cleanup and restoration of the park staging area • Timeline: completion expected in spring • Cost: $28.8 million • Funding source: drainage charge, 2018 drainage bonds and Austin Water 3 West Rundberg Lane Extension (Burnet Road connection) 1 January Drive Flood Risk Reduction project Project: decommissioning the storm drain pipe located on private property and installing a larger one under January Drive to allow for easier maintenance and flood risk reduction; restoring native plants along the banks of Walnut Creek to prevent erosion Project: extends West Rundberg Lane from Burnet Road to Metric Boulevard with an expansion of the roadway from two lanes to four lanes with a raised median, an 8-foot shared-use path on both sides, and storm sewer, water and wastewater improvements Update: project is currently in the design stage • Timeline: completion expected in fall 2028 • Cost: $10 million • Funding source: Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization funding and city of Austin bond

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northbound connector from the MoPac express lane and US 183 express lane is slated to open next, followed by the southbound express lanes and southbound connectors in the coming months • Timeline: total project completion expected in 2026 • Cost: $612 million • Funding source: federal funding, sale of toll revenue bonds, Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act funds

Completed projects

4 183 North Mobility Project northbound express lane Project: the construction of two express lanes in each direction on US 183, a general-purpose lane to bring the number of non-tolled lanes to four in each direction, new shared use path connections, new sidewalks and cross-street connections for bicycles and pedestrians Update: northbound express lanes opened Jan. 2;

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Health & wellness

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Health & Wellness Edition 2026

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Health & Wellness Edition! Happy New Year! I hope your 2026 is o to a happy and healthy start. In this special Health & Wellness issue, you’ll nd the latest news, updates, and resources related to health & wellness in the Northwest Austin area and beyond. The top trending story on our website as of press time is a Q&A with Board Certied Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Sharma (Page 14). Happy reading!

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What's inside

See the latest on ve new racket venues (Page 13)

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For relevant news and daily updates, subscribe to our free email newsletter!

Texas Children’s Hospital launches rst Austin-based pediatric helicopter

Texas Children’s Hospital in North Austin has become the rst pediatric hospital to have its own helicopter based in Austin. The helicopter will allow Texas Children’s Hos- pital to provide faster critical care to more patients across Central Texas. “[The helicopter] represents Texas Children’s long-term investment in this region and a commit- ment to bringing world-class pediatric, neonatal and maternal care closer to home,” said Je Shilt, Texas Children’s president of Austin and Central Texas, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 12. How it works Texas Children’s can pick up patients from com- munity hospitals needing specialized pediatric care and transport them to the North Austin hospital. After receiving a call at its transfer center, Texas

Children’s can connect the referring hospital to a sub-specialist who will create a personalized patient care plan, said Brian Barnett, Texas Children’s director of transport and transfer center. The mobile intensive care unit is operated by Texas Children’s Kangaroo Crew of registered nurses and respiratory therapists who can begin providing ICU therapies to stabilize patients at their bedside before arriving at the hospital, Barnett said. The transport team can respond to most critical illnesses, including respiratory illness, seizures and trauma, experienced by a wide range of ages from 22-week-old babies to teenagers and young adults in their adolescent years. Later this summer or fall, Texas Children’s plans to launch a larger, more advanced helicopter at its North Austin hospital with the ability to travel farther distances, Barnett said.

Texas Children’s ocials celebrated the launch of the pediatric hospital system’s rst helicopter in Austin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 12.

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NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION

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Find award-winning care at ascension.org/DellChildrens

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Health & wellness

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON

5 local pickleball, padel court updates to know Austin’s racket sports scene has seen a surge in popularity as more pickleball and padel facilities have opened or announced new locations across the metro. Austin Padel Center and The Padel Collective are the newest courts joining the list, slated to open this year. The Padel Collective will feature panoramic padel courts and community amenities such as a sauna and cold plunges, while Austin Padel Center will feature six indoor and three out- door climate-controlled padel courts, a recovery lounge, pro shop and more. This list is noncomprehensive.

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Opening in 2026

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Health & wellness

BY DACIA GARCIA

BY DANIEL SCHWALM & BROOKE SJOBERG

UT medical expert Dr. Sanjay K. Sharma explains body contouring Affiliated with Ascension Medical Group, the University of Texas Dell Medical School and the University of Texas Medical Branch, Dr. Sanjay K. Sharma spoke with Community Impact about how body contouring works, ideal candidates and tips for community members to know when looking for a provider. What is body contouring? Body contouring is a broad-based category in plastic surgery. Any part of the body can be contoured. It can be from areas that are sort of stubborn fat deposits. Patients sometimes want to know how they can get rid of isolated pockets around the abdomen, legs, thighs or arms. Body contours can involve multiple techniques. It’s a pretty big specialty in plastic surgery.

ACC enrollment up for health, workforce fields Amid enrollment growth across a majority of its programs, Austin Community College is reporting significant growth across its workforce and health care programs. What you need to know The community college district shared an update on enrollment Jan. 20, the start of the spring 2026 semester. Data updated as of Jan. 16 shows enrollment is up 7% year over year. More students are also choosing to remain with ACC semester to semes- ter, the report shows, with returning students up 9% compared to 2025, and 23% compared to 2024. The details The report shows that growth in student enrollment is strongest for workforce and health care-focused fields, each with 17% growth.

Twin Lakes YMCA expansions progress Two major projects at the Twin Lakes Family YMCA in Cedar Park are slated to open at the end of May, according to Laura Arredondo, YMCA of Central Texas chief marketing officer. The YMCA broke ground on the Avery Family Pavilion and the Orr Family RCI Adventure Course in May 2025. The details The Avery Family Pavilion will serve as a meeting place for everything from sporting events to birthday parties to weddings. The RCI Adventure Course will feature zip lines, ropes courses, a sky trail and multilevel climbing structures for both children and adults. The Orr Family RCI Adventure Course will be the only adventure course of its kind in the greater Austin area, Arredondo said.

What are some benefits and risks to having one of these procedures? Logically, body contouring is about self-esteem, feeling confident, getting back to a time in the past when you felt the best that you could, and I think that’s where those procedures do very well. There are opportunities to do some of these pro- cedures in a local anesthesia environment under office control. Patients that may seek to try to get the procedures done in a least expensive way may not necessarily be the safest way. What are some things to keep in mind when selecting a provider for body contouring? Do your homework, be diligent, ask questions and visit the American Society of Plastic Surgery website. A lot of the board members of plastic surgery are being listed, and make sure you can ask the plastic surgeon questions.

Student enrollment In addition to full-time enrollment growth, ACC saw an increase specifically in:

Advanced Manufacturing: +17%

Skilled Trades: +17%

Health Sciences: +17%

Liberal Arts-Humanities and Communications: +13%

SOURCE: AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

What they’re saying “What we’re seeing is proof that when we design college around real lives and real jobs, students respond,” ACC Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart said in the release. What else? Data also shows growth in full-time enrollment and doubled participation in the community college district’s free tuition pilot program, which went from 4,894 students in 2025 to 9,741 students as of this spring, the report states.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

COURTESY DR. SANJAY K. SHARMA

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Health & wellness

BY HANNAH NORTON

Texas adds 9 potential dispensaries to medical cannabis program

Zooming out

Under House Bill 46, Texans can receive medical cannabis prescriptions for 15 types of conditions,

including: • Epilepsy • Seizures • Multiple sclerosis • Cancer • Post-traumatic stress disorder • Chronic pain • Crohn’s disease • Terminal illnesses

provide medical cannabis products. Under a recent state law, House Bill 46, Texas is on track to have 15 licensed medical cannabis dispensaries as soon as April. DPS issued nine conditional licenses Dec. 1 to companies that had previously applied to join the program and said it will select three first-time applicants by April 1. The new companies must pass a final “due diligence evaluation” from DPS before they can cultivate, manufacture, distribute or sell low-THC cannabis medications, according to a Dec. 1 news release. DPS said it will look into each company’s finances, litigation history and past disciplinary actions.

Nine new medical cannabis dispensaries could soon open in Texas, the Department of Public Safety announced Dec. 1. The nine companies, three of which currently operate in other states, were given conditional licenses after state lawmakers voted this spring to expand Texas’ Compassionate Use Program. Under the program, physicians prescribe medical- grade, low-THC products to eligible patients, who get the medications from licensed dispensaries. During this year’s legislative session, Community Impact reported that some Texans said the 10-year-old medical cannabis program did not help enough people, citing barriers to patient access and limits on the types of medication physicians could prescribe. Since the program’s inception in 2015, three dispensaries—Texas Original, Goodblend and Fluent—were licensed to Planned growth Nine medical cannabis providers are slated to open locations in Texas following state evaluations, joining three existing companies with dozens of locations statewide. Existing medical cannabis pickup locations Upcoming locations

Dispensaries can also create satellite locations to store products overnight, which advocates said will allow more accessible, same-day pickup of medications.

One more thing

Medical cannabis providers told Community Impact on Dec. 18 that they were preparing to offer inhaled medications in addition to edible, topical and tincture products. Texas Original CEO Nico Richardson said inhaled medical cannabis products take effect within minutes, while it can take 20-45 minutes for patients to feel the effects of other forms. “If they’re having some sort of episode of pain or … PTSD or epilepsy, through inhalation they’re able to treat it immediately instead of having to wait for the medicine to take effect,” Richardson said.

The proposed new dispensaries are:

• Verano Texas LLC in West Texas • Trulieve TX Inc. in the Panhandle • Texas Patient Access LLC in North Texas • Dilatso LLC in North Texas • Lonestar Compassionate Care Group LLC in North Texas • Lone Star Bioscience Inc. in South Central Texas

• PC TX OPCO LLC in Southeast Texas • Story of Texas LLC in Southeast Texas • Texa OP in the Rio Grande Valley

SOURCES: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, TEXAS ORIGINAL, GOODBLEND AND FLUENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Health & wellness

BY DACIA GARCIA

Nonprot organization Texas Rollergirls rolled into the Austin scene in 2003, originating at track roller derby as a way to make the sport more accessi- ble, Chief Marketing Ocer Alex Massey said. Today there are over 400 leagues around the world based on the adaption of the sport created by Texas Rollergirls, she said. Meet the team The organization has four home teams: Hell Marys, Honky Tonk Heartbreakers, Hotrod Honeys and Hustlers. Its two travel teams, Texecutioners and Texas Chainsaws, compete globally. One of the many creative parts of the sport is being able to take on a new persona. The process all starts with a name. On the track Massey is known as Jackson Villain and graphic designer Jessica Havlir is known as Miso Thorny. The inspiration for derby names varies from hometown homage to enjoying a play on words. The players’ names become a big part of their participa- tion—some team members don’t even know each other’s legal names, Massey said. “I often forget people’s real names and then I hear their name and I’m like, ‘Jessica? What? Who are you,’” Massey said. Get involved Outside of competing, Texas Rollergirls hosts a recreational league where community members can learn how to skate derby-specic skills and practice full contact to prepare for competitive play if they are interested in trying out for the organization. There are two opportunities a year to try out for a team. The fall opportunity features a 12-week training program, which ends with a nal scrim- mage before attendees are notied if they’ve been drafted to a team. “We have skaters who have been here 20 years and they know the game, they know how to play and the training is exceptional,” Massey said. “We even have league members who travel to other leagues to train. Every practice is going to have some level of intensity that not a lot of people are used to and that’s why we are competitive.” Havlir joined the rec league after she had her rst child and while she’s taken short breaks in the past few years, she always comes back to Texas Rollergirls. “I always come back because the community is Texas Rollergirls promotes inclusivity in Texas roller derby

Games typically last an hour, with two 30 minute halves in which defenders have to stop the jammer—the player who scores points—from passing them and scoring.

COURTESY TEXAS ROLLERGIRLS MARIA ZOLLER

Texas Rollergirls launched in 2003 and now has four home teams and two travel teams.

In a match, one player from each team wears a star helmet which makes their position as the jammer known.

COURTESY TEXAS ROLLERGIRLSBRENT LAVELLE

COURTESY TEXAS ROLLERGIRLSMARIA ZOLLER

the most incredible community ever,” Havlir said. “It’s so diverse. We have mothers. ... We have grand- mas. We have kids who just graduated from high school. ... All sorts of people. It’s just an amazing community to be in.” Looking forward The team hopes the league continues to thrive decades from now and derby leagues in other cities continue to grow as well. “We provide a safe place for people to come and get a good workout and also build that community,” Havlir said. “We’re just here for each other and we want people coming to our games to feel that as well.”

183

8120 Research Blvd., Ste. 105, #511, Austin www.texasrollergirls.org

The league’s 2026 season will include games from February through September.

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NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION

Austin park growth slows following new law From the cover

How we got here

The context

The overview

Annual parkland payments State law hampered Austin’s ability to maintain past levels of parkland dedication.

Much of Austin lacks the parks access that’s a stated desire of residents and city planners. Less than 18.5 acres of parkland were available per 1,000 residents as of late 2025, 77% of the city’s per-resident goal. That gap equates to a need of roughly 5,700 acres, or almost 9 square miles. The parks department estimated about 70% of residents remain out of walking distance from public green spaces. However, city mapping shows many neighborhoods remain “parks decient” based on that metric, most notably in North Central and East Austin, and around the city’s fringes. Grantham said recent strides have still been made. More than 1,100 park acres have been acquired since 2020, with a focus on decient areas, resulting in almost 200,000 people city- wide seeing their parkland access increase. “We make our best eort, and we try to hit every council district,” he said. “We are actively trying to acquire land in areas that are not well- served by parks—areas where people currently, today, cannot walk to a park.”

Austin’s supply of parks and open spaces is often referenced as one of its most cherished amenities. But after years of population growth, it’s become more challenging to meet rising recreational needs. The city prioritizes all residents living within 10-minute walks from a park and oering at least 24 acres of parkland per 1,000 people. Portions of city bond packages have been used to expand parkland, and Austin’s also relied on a parkland dedication system requiring developers to either pay fees or contribute land. But future acquisition funding is uncertain, especially under a new state law that slashed dedication requirements. “Parks create community; parks are spaces for recreation, for physical health for mental health, for relief from urban life,” said Scott Grantham, Austin Parks and Recreation Department principal planner. “It’s going to be vital that we nd a way to continue to bring parks to the people.” Parkland acquisitions Austin’s dedication system has allowed for new parks and amenities since its inception in 1985.

Annual appropriations

Projected

FY 2022-23

$26.1M

FY 2023-24

$17.4M

FY 2024-25

$23.4M

FY 2025-26

$7.5M

FY 2026-27 $1.1M

City requirements on developers rose through the 2010s and early 2020s, when developers had to donate land or pay fees equivalent to 9.4 park acres per 1,000 residents. Limitations under House Bill 1526 went into eect in 2023. The bill targeted cities of 800,000 people or more, and lawmakers ref- erenced Austin in their statement of intent, citing rising dedication fees and housing costs as a threat to economic growth. This forced local ocials to approve new rules at a fraction of pre-2023 levels based on location—most signicantly downtown, where dedication values are more than 100 times smaller than under past policy. At the time, former council member Alison Alter said HB 1526 “gutted” the city’s system. “Its been huge. We were originally appropriating in the neighborhood of $20 million in fees through parkland dedication [annually], and now it has been reduced to about $2 million,” Grantham said.

Parks access Austin’s level of per-resident park service has declined.

1 Great Hills Neighborhood Park 2 Walnut Creek Greenbelt

City goal of parkland acres per 1K residents Actual parkland acres per 1K residents

MOPAC

SIERRA NEVADA LN.

0 15 20 25 30

183

PARK BEND DR.

SIERRA OAKS

JOLLYVILLE RD.

WALNUT CREEK

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTINCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Parks bond breakdowns Austin’s parks bonds have traditionally funded open space acquisitions.

Going forward

The approach

City sta and a resident commission are still working to develop a nal list of funding priorities for a 2026 bond. However, Austin’s tight nances also led some ocials to recently question whether the time is right for the city to take on more debt, or if a comprehensive bond package should be delayed. For now, Grantham said he’d like to be optimistic about more support in the future. “We are still acquiring parkland, we are still building new parks, and we are still making connections. We are doing so with fewer tools, and we’re doing so with less funding,” he said. “I’m hopeful that we can get more tools and explore creative options and, let’s be honest, receive more funding.”

The parks department is using available dollars to build out Austin’s network of open spaces. Most recently, that included $45 million of the nearly $150 million 2018 parks bond. The commu- nity is now looking ahead to another bond, poten- tially for voter consideration this year, that could include a fresh round of green space funding. An initial $3.9 billion project list for a bond was released last year with $100 million for park acqui- sitions. On Jan. 21, a reduced proposal was released for a $700 million bond, with $40 million for acquisitions out of $140 million in total for parks. Approving more land acquisition dollars today is critical and cost-eective for growing Austin’s parkland, according to the parks department. It estimates $100 million of current investments would save $150 million over the coming decade due to property appreciation. That money can be stretched with dedication fees, Grantham said, but payments now come at lower levels.

Not land acquisition Share for land acquisition

$149M

Total bond amount

$104M

$84.7M

$77.7M

$75.9M

$64.2M

$72.1M

$41.1M

$20M

$45M

$34.9M

$20.5M

$20M

$5.6M

2012

2018

1992*

1998 2006

* 100% OF 1992 BOND WENT TO LAND ACQUISITION NOTE: 2026 BOND TO BE DETERMINED

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NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION

Real estate

More homes were sold across the Northwest Austin area in December compared to the previous year, according to Unlock MLS data. Residential market data

Homes sold

December 2024

December 2025

+1,700%

-33.33%

+14.29%

+44.44%

-38.89%

+4.17%

+22.22%

+17.39%

45 TOLL

78726

78727

78729

78730

78732

78750

78758

78759

78729

620

MOPAC

78750

183

78727

Median home sales price

78726

78759

LAKE TRAVIS

December

2024

2025

2222

78758

$645,000 $530,000 $495,000 $1,200,000 $832,750 $709,000 $362,000 $650,000

$647,500 $469,990 $450,500 $966,325 $715,000 $550,000 $397,499 $644,000

78726 78727 78729 78730 78732 78750 78758 78759

360

78730

78732

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS AND UNLOCK MLS 512-454-7636 WWW.ABOR.COM

Northwest Austin

Average days on market

December 2024

December 2025

+683.33%

-15.38%

-11.90%

-6.98%

-29.73%

+9.84%

+4.11%

+54.35%

December

2024

2025

New listings

100

Closed sales

78726

78727

78729

78730

78732

78750

78758

78759

Homes under contract

Homes sold by price point in December

Median home sale price

78726 78727 78729 78730 78732 78750 78758 78759

$542.7K $480K

- -

7 3 4 3

5 3

5 5

$900,000+

4 - 9 3

$700,000-$899,999

Price per square foot

$293 $284

- -

7 3 9

$500,000-$699,999

Average days on market

3 6 11

- -

7 11

$300,000-$499,999

$64 $69

3 6 2

<$299,999

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