Pflugerville - Hutto Edition | May 2025

Government

BY GRANT CRAWFORD, HALEY MCLEOD & GRACIE WARHURST

Pugerville City Council approves $127M in CO bonds for transportation, water, wastewater projects

New HOT fund policy aims to bring more tourism to Hutto Hutto City Council approved a new hotel occupancy tax use policy at a meeting April 3. The breakdown The new HOT fund policy provides guidelines for the use of the tax revenue to promote tourism and related industries in the city. It outlines eligibility criteria for applicants and the approved uses, and establishes a clear application, review and approval process. The updated policy proposal ensures that HOT funds are used responsibly and in compliance with state law, according to city documents. The list of HOT fund uses includes convention center construction, tourism promotion, services for events, historical restoration and more. “We do need a convention center; we need space for community events,” Place 3 council member Randal Clark said.

County sees decline in fentanyl deaths Travis County ocials highlighted a 36% reduction in deaths involving fentanyl in a report on April 21. Overview Since 2021, opioid overdose deaths were the leading cause of accidental deaths in county, according to ocials. Deaths related to fentanyl dropped from 279 to 179 individ- uals between 2023 and 2024. Pugerville City Council approved $127 million in certicate of obligation bonds at its April 8 meeting to fund water, wastewater and transpor- tation projects. About the projects The bonds will fund 19 projects included in the city’s scal year 2024-25 budget, including: • $17.7 million for a future four-lane roadway with a raised center median from Colorado Sand Drive to Weiss Lane on East Pugerville Parkway • $10 million for a project to widen East Pecan Street to six lanes • $27.4 million to expand and increase treatment capacity at Pugerville’s surface water treat- ment plant • $11 million for a 27-inch wastewater interceptor connecting the Kelly Lane lift station to the interceptor along Weiss Lane Other projects, amounting to less then $10 million each, include wastewater lift stations, a reclaimed water line, street extensions and realignments.

The bond funds will help increase the city’s surface water treatment plant to 30 million gallons of water per day.

COURTESY CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE

Some context A CO bond lets local governments fund projects that further public improvement without requir- ing voter approval. Pugerville uses these bonds for roadway, development, facility, infrastructure and utility projects, according to the city. The approval stems from a notice of intent, approved in February, to issue up to $142 million CO bonds.

Pugerville parks propose changes to water tower

Pugerville ocials are eying changes to park land surrounding the city’s historic water tower, as sta presented City Council with a proposed plan for Old Town Park on April 22. The gist City ocials are hoping to reimagine the prop- erty surrounding the old water tower on Second Street, which was built in 1935 and decommis- sioned in 1990. After conducting a series of community engagement events in recent months, Parks and Recreation Director Shane Mize, as well as con- sultants with TBG Partners and BRS Architecture, presented council with a conceptual design of the park changes. The plan includes the construction of a raised boardwalk area, green space, a pavilion, rain garden and play features. “So in addition to creating fun spaces where people can play and gather, we’ve overlaid an education element to this master plan that

Old Town Park

Proposed park area

helps celebrate and educate people about the importance of water in Pugerville’s history, its development and its future,” Craig Bouck, of BRS Architecture, said. The park could cost an estimated $5 million, Mize said, which could come from capital improvement funding, parkland dedication dollars or other sources. The design team said the project could be built in two or three phases. The proposal will go to the Parks and Recreation Commission, as well as the Planning and Zoning Commission, before it can receive council approval.

“While we still have a long way to go, this drop in overdose deaths shows us that the strategies we’ve implemented are not only working, they’re saving lives.” ANDY BROWN, TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE

PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION