Georgetown Edition | April 2025

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Georgetown Edition VOLUME 18, ISSUE 8 APRIL 25MAY 23, 2025 $90M admin building to open 2026 County sta discuss future of downtown Georgetown amid relocations

BY ANNA MANESS

The Williamson County Administration Build- ing will open in spring 2026—two years after breaking ground, Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said. The $90 million, 120,000-square-foot building will house 12 departments,

including ve operating in the Williamson County Courthouse. In preparation of the WCAB, ocials are discussing the historic courthouse’s future while maximizing space downtown.

CONTINUED ON 24

SOUTHWESTERN BLVD .

Future Williamson County Administration Building

Williamson County will begin moving operations from its 114-year- old courthouse to a new facility near SE Inner Loop in 2026. RENDERING COURTESY MARMON MOK ARCHITECTURE

Also in this issue

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Impacts: Find a new place to get your caeine x (Page 6)

Government: Meet the new Williamson County judge (Page 15)

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

About Community Impact

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.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Brittany Anderson Jacquelyn Burrer Dacia Garcia Sarah Hernandez Elisabeth Jimenez Anna Maness Haley McLeod Jamie Moore Hannah Norton Brooke Sjoberg Ben Thompson Gracie Warhurst Chloe Young Graphic Designers Alissa Foss Abigail Hines Sabrina Musachia Karoline Pfeil Sam Schaer

Denise Seiler General Manager dseiler@ communityimpact.com

Minh Nguyen Joseph Veloz Managing Editor Darcy Sprague Product Manager Gloria Amareth Quality Desk Editor Adrian Gandara Austin Market President Travis Baker

Claire Shoop Editor cshoop@ communityimpact.com

Dana Smyth Account Executive dsmyth@ communityimpact.com

16225 Impact Way Pugerville, TX 78660 • 5129896808 CI Careers

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Impacts

3 Mojo Coffee The coffee shop offers espresso drinks, pastries and more. It was founded in Burnet in 2015 by cousins Austin Moon, Forrest Jackson and Lloyd Reagan. • Opened March 24 • 4630 Williams Drive, Ste. 101, Georgetown • www.mojodrivethru.com 4 Nivi Ice Cream The artisan ice cream shop is located inside the recently opened Sharetea in Wolf Ranch Town Center. • Opened March 20 • 1013 W. University Ave., Ste. 165, Georgetown • Instagram: niviicecreams 5 Sharetea The business offers milk tea, brew tea, lemonade, boba, halo halo, matcha drinks, ice-blended drinks and more. • Opened March 19 • 1013 W. University Ave., Ste. 165, Georgetown • Instagram: sharetea.gtx 6 Sneed, Vine & Perry The business features over 20 attorneys, who cover a range of legal specialties. • Opened Jan. 27 • 200 W. Sixth St., Ste. 110, Georgetown • https://sneedvine.com 130 TOLL 29

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7 Chick-fil-A The fast-food chain serves chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, fries, wraps, salads and more. • Opening 2026 • 450 Kauffman Loop, Leander • www.chick-fil-a.com 110

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2 Hao-Hao Vietnamese & Chinese Cuisine The family-owned and operated restaurant offers pho and vermicelli, sautéed meat, vegetables and more. • Opened March 16 • 19392 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Ste. 500, Georgetown • www.haohaoleander.com 1460

Now open

Relocations

1 Dental Care at Cedar Breaks The office offers oral health and cosmetic services. • Opened April 4 • 4630 Williams Drive, Ste. 105, Georgetown • www.dentalcareatcedarbreaks.com

8 Georgetown Bikeology The business relocated after its former building was damaged by a fire in 2024. 110

Dr. Craig P. Torres D.D.S., Endodontist Board Certified (COL US Army Dental Corps RET) • Non-surgical root canal therapy • Root canal retreatments • Root canal surgery Dr. Gloria T. Torres D.D.S., Prosthodontist (LTC US Army Dental Corps RET) 66 Years Combined Experience (Retired Army Dentists)

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BY DACIA GARCIA, ANNA MANESS & CHLOE YOUNG

• 1409 Crested Butte Way, Georgetown • www.gtbikeology.net

Worth the trip

Now open

Stagecoach Inn & Restaurant After almost two years of renovations, the nearly 80-year-old restaurant reopened with the help of Monument Group in Georgetown. • Reopened in March • 416 S. Main St., Salado • www.stagecoachsalado.com

9 Georgetown Free Bikes The nonprofit moved to a new site which was previously home to Rabbit Hill School. • Relocated March 25 • 2055 FM 1460, Georgetown • www.georgetownfreebikes.org 10 Pupology The pet store will continue operating at 4236 Williams Drive until May 31 then relocate this summer to increase retail space, owner Janet Cesarini said. • Relocating in June • 4402 Williams Drive, Ste. 125, Georgetown • www.shoppupology.com

Closings

12 Carl’s Jr. Pending permit approval, the Carl’s Jr. off University Avenue closed in mid-April, a manager said. • Closed in April • 1039 W. University Ave., Georgetown • www.carlsjr.com 13 Sabino’s Pizza Owner David Sabino said the Georgetown location was not successful, but the pizza eatery has a location in Leander. • Closed March 9 • 5731 Williams Drive, Georgetown • www.sabinospizzapub.com

14 Einstein Bros. Bagels The bagel chain offers a variety of bagels, breakfast sandwiches, pastries and beverages. The Georgetown location was originally slated to open summer 2024, according to previous Community Impact reporting. • Opened March 21 • 3920 Williams Drive, Ste. 110, Georgetown • www.einsteinbros.com

In the News

11 Thundercloud Subs Austin-grown Thundercloud Subs celebrated its 50th anniversary in March. The business was founded in 1975 by Andy Cotton and John Meddaugh. • Anniversary March 23 • 814 S. Main St., Georgetown • www.thundercloud.com

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Government

$23M downtown parking garage topped out Georgetown ocials celebrated a construction turning point for the city’s rst downtown parking garage April 8. The full story Elected ocials, construction workers and engineers gathered at a “topping out” ceremony, which signies the uppermost deck of the $23.11 million garage being poured, according to a city of Georgetown Facebook post. The free garage will add 315 parking spaces to the downtown area and is set to nish construc- tion by the end of 2025—hopefully before the “busy” Christmas season begins, Georgetown Mayor Josh Schroeder said at the ceremony. “This project is a signicant milestone towards our downtown master plan that allows us to provide public parking as an amenity to the folks that come to visit our community,” Schroeder said.

Police chief proposes ordinance revisions Georgetown Police Chief Cory Tchida proposed several revisions to the city’s Code of Ordinances on March 11. Some proposed updates include: • Requiring nonprots not based in the county to get a permit for soliciting • Exempting lawncare and construction from the noise ordinance, 7 a.m.- 8 p.m. • Prohibiting sitting or laying down on public property in downtown • Making it unlawful for people to be in city parks after hours One more thing Proposed ordinance changes will be brought for approval in the near future.

A view of the downtown parking garage from South Main Street and Sixth Street on April 8.

Future downtown parking garage

The four-level project broke ground March 26, 2024. The garage is expected to alleviate the rising demand for downtown parking options and lessen the amount of visitors defaulting to neighborhood streets for parking relief, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Schroeder called the garage an “investment” in Georgetown, and said he hopes the city will have several more garages in the future to enhance downtown Georgetown.

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BY ANNA MANESS

County issues burn ban Williamson County commissioners issued a burn ban lasting up to 90 days during a March 25 meeting. Two-minute impact Over the past two weeks, the county has seen elevated re weather conditions, according to county documents. In a March 20 county burn ban evalu- ation matrix, Williamson County Chief Fire Marshal Mike Lugo recommended for commissioners to issue a burn ban until the area receives an adequate amount of rain and humidity levels increase. The ban will not exceed 90 days—or go past June 23—and the county judge has the authority to lift the order if conditions improve, according to county documents. The U.S. Drought Monitor classied 90.86% of the county as being in “severe drought” conditions.

Ocials approve incentives for Total Site Solutions

Georgetown logistics park

130

Total Site Solutions current location

On March 11, council members approved a tax abatement agreement and an economic devel- opment agreement with VTC LLC, a Maryland company doing business as Total Site Solutions in Round Rock. VTC LLC plans to relocate its headquarters and business operations to Building 1 at Georgetown Logistics Park, per city documents. The compa- ny’s relocation could create over 100 new jobs in Georgetown. What residents should know The relocation intends to create and maintain at least 150 new full-time positions in George- town with minimum salaries starting at $50,000, according to city documents. Through the relocation, SL6 Georgetown and

VTC LLC intend to make a combined capital investment—including costs from construction nish-out and nal installations—of at least $17.7 million at Georgetown Logistics Park. Also of note The economic development incentive calls for the city of Georgetown to provide a $200,000 performance-based infrastructure grant using funding from the Georgetown Economic Develop- ment Corporation. The tax abatement agreement is estimated to be valued at $354,703 over the 10-year period, per city documents.

Dell Children’s Medical Center North is now a Level III Pediatric Trauma Center, bringing more advanced emergency care close to home. As the only Level III Pediatric Trauma Center in Austin and the only Nationally Ranked Hospital, we’re ensuring the highest level of care for your child when every second counts. This achievement reflects Dell Children’s Hospital’s commitment to providing top-quality care in the communities we serve. To achieve the designation, our team underwent an in-depth verification process and demonstrated the ability to provide prompt assessment and treatment, while also maintaining a comprehensive quality assessment program. When accidents happen, we’re ready to provide your child the best care. Only in Austin. Only at Dell Children’s.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY ANNA MANESS

Williamson County commissioners named four board members to serve on the future Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation on March 25. This came two weeks after commissioners approved the SDC’s bylaws March 11. The Central Texas SDC is a partnership with Burnet County. An SDC is a public, private or public- private partnership that develops, manages and operates a spaceport, said Arthur Jackson, chief economic development ocer for the city of Cedar Park. Spaceports are specialized launch and landing facilities for spacecraft, rockets and satellites. Jackson said Williamson and Burnet WilCo advances Spaceport

What’s next

“This costs the county nothing, and it will have a signicant, positive nancial benet for our county and for jobs and make us more competitive in this space for years to come.” ARTHUR JACKSON, CEDAR PARK CHIEF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Current bylaws show the SDC will consist of a seven-member board of directors with four Williamson County representatives and three Burnet County representatives. Williamson County appointees are: • Julie Lessiter, Place 1 • Ed Trevis, Place 3 • Dave Porter, Place 5 • Lori Magruder, Place 7 Burnet County commissioners took no action on adopting the bylaws during its March 25 and April 8 meetings. If Burnet County commissioners make changes to the Central Texas SDC’s bylaws, Dan Fermon, Firey Aerospace chief operating ocer, said he expects Williamson County commissioners will need to reapprove it.

Firey Aerospace landed on the moon March 2. COURTESY FIREFLY AEROSPACE

counties will focus on: • Infrastructure development

• Economic development • Partnerships and funding • Innovation and workforce development

Firey Aerospace, headquartered in Cedar Park, is the rst commercial company to successfully land on the moon.

GEORGETOWN EDITION

Government

BY ANNA MANESS

In 2024, the Georgetown Fire Department received 16,978 calls for service—an 18% increase from 2023. In five years, officials expect calls to almost double, Georgetown Fire Chief John Sullivan said. The GFD and Williamson County Emergency Services District provide services to the greater Georgetown area. Combined, the two entities serve 140,000 people, Sullivan said. “We can’t do that necessarily with the same number of resources,” Sullivan said at a February 25 city council meeting. With five total ambulances, Sullivan said data shows officials have anywhere from a 20%-60% chance of running out of Fire Chief plans for growth

Looking ahead

20%-60% chance of having no available ambulances throughout the week 17-minute fire and EMS response time in the ETJ, 14 minutes within the city

Ideally, the department will use a phased approach over the next 5-10 years to add additional stations when needed, Sullivan said. If the city reaches a population of 210,000 by 2030, two additional fire stations would allow for 23,000 people to be served per station, Sullivan said. Since 2020, the department has also struggled with staffing shortages and hiring challenges, Sullivan said. Now, Sullivan said they’re attempting to bring in people with limited experience to have a more diverse workforce. “We’re now in a much better spot,” Sullivan said. Moving forward, Sullivan said he expects to lose about 10 people per year due to retirements, attrition and other factors.

29,624 calls for service expected in 2030

CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

ambulances throughout the week. “This isn’t unique to just Georgetown,” Sullivan said. “This is happening in the entire region where ambulances—[there’s] not enough of them to care for the 911 calls.” Since 2023, EMS demand is up by 9%, Sullivan said. Additionally, the demand is growing faster than Georgetown’s population growth, which is in part due to the city’s senior population, he said. Sullivan said the department has a nine minute response time goal because of the risks of brain damage or fire growth. Out of the 13,590 emergent response calls, he said 3,959 exceeded nine minutes.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY ANNA MANESS

Q&A: New WilCo EMS Director John Gonzales focuses on efficiency On Feb. 25, officials announced John Gonzales as Williamson County’s new Emergency Medical Services director after the former director, Mike Knipstein, retired earlier this year. Gonzales served in the U.S. Army as a medic from 1992-1998 and in the Army National Guard from 1998-1999, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Before joining WCEMS, he worked as a clinical manager with Austin Diagnostic Clinic for five years. Gonzales started at WCEMS as a field paramedic in 2005 and held a number of clinical practice positions prior to being named as director. Now, he works with a staff of 175 to keep the 50-year-old department running. Community Impact sat down with Gonzales to discuss his new role and goals for keeping William- son County safe. You were announced as WCEMS Director on Feb. 25. What are some short-term and long-term goals you have? The short term goal is to reach out to all the elected officials, all department heads, our leader- ship here in the field and eventually the rest of the officers in the system, to share my vision. ... Once I make all these rounds, we’re going to start looking at different ways of innovating. ... How can we maximize our efficiency and get the biggest bang for our buck, if you will? ... Long term is [looking] at how we distribute ambulances, how we deploy them and making sure that we can get the right resources to the right patient at the right time and

not inflate the budget more than we need to. How does your team keep up with the increased need for service that comes with this growing population? We always start with data. ... There may be growth, but what is the call volume? Do we actually need an ambulance, or do we need a response Tahoe there instead? ... We look at future develop- ment, especially with Samsung coming out on the east side of the county, that’s an area that’s going to just explode. ... I approach it from a patient assess- ment standpoint. ... What is the pulse of the county right now? ... Are there new developments coming out? How many houses are they going to build? Are there schools coming up there? What resources do we have, and how close are they to those areas? ... The approach we’re going to take is going to be a continuous assessment of what’s going on. As the new director, what’s something you believe is important to remind your staff of? It’s a tough job. ... Paramedics see the worst that humanity has to offer sometimes. ... I always tell [staff], if you ever feel like you’ve lost your fire and you wake up in the morning dreading coming here, try to go back to what brought you here. And that’s why I put this poster up here. ‘Remember why you started.’ It’s a good reminder for me, too, when I walk through that door—remember why I started. And why I started is because of the people. What skills did you carry into your EMS career after serving as a U.S. Army medic in the Army National Guard? For me it was, it was the discipline. It’s very regimented. ... People always look back and say ‘That was the most miserable time of my life.’ I actually enjoyed it. I made a lot of good friends that I’m still friends with today. I think the structure and the discipline really stuck with me.

ANNA MANESS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

What does a day in your life look like now? I get here [at] about 7-7:15 a.m. The first thing I see when I walk in is this thing right here, ‘Remem- ber why I started.’ I fire up my computer ... I look out the window, watch the sun rise over here and then I start answering emails. And as people come in, I chat with them on different things. We have a morning conference call with the commanders in the field. ... It’s a little bit of everything ... and then the rest of the time is spent looking at how we can improve the system.

Read more about Gonzales and other Williamson County news at communityimpact.com .

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Government

BY ANNA MANESS

Meet Steven Snell, Williamson County’s new judge On March 27, Williamson County commissioners selected Steven Snell to serve as the next county judge following Bill Gravell’s March 11 resignation.

money to build them is one thing, but having a site in an appropriate place—it’s also a challenge. I feel that that experience can help me on a larger scale with Williamson County. Williamson County is undergoing a lot of changes, from leadership changes to the new administration building opening soon. What do you anticipate being the biggest challenge you face during this season of transitioning? I'll have some small challenges, obviously, in just adjusting to life in the government world, the political world. When I look at Williamson County, you've got growth and you've got water, and all that growth requires county services. I want us to have the best sheri's department in the state. I want us to be quick with emergency services and eective, and both of those two departments need resources, so we need to make sure they're taken care of as much as possible. [We] need to explore as many grants that are out there ... to see what we can get above and beyond tax revenue to take care of the county needs. And then just working with the commissioners on the water and roads and getting up to speed on that and trying to stay ahead. Government just works slower than the developing world, so planning and conversations to keep us in line and lead through that growth as much as possible. Now that you’re serving Williamson County, what kind of lasting impact do you hope to make during your time here? You always want to leave a place better than you found it. I think I’ve done a really good job leading Liberty Hill through the growth. We’ve gone from 4,000 students to 10,000, and they’re going to

Snell has spent over 30 years in education and served as the Liberty Hill ISD superintendent for over six years. Snell resigned as Liberty Hill ISD superinten- dent at an April 7 board of trustees meeting and will be sworn in as the next Williamson County judge April 21. Community Impact sat down with Snell to discuss his plans as the next county judge. What made you apply for the vacant Williamson County judge position? I’ve got 31 years in education, and I’m to the point in my life where I was asking ‘What’s next?’ When you live a purpose driven life, it’s hard just to step away. I was looking for something where I could continue to serve and grow and help people. When this door opened, I explored the opportunity, talked to some people and talked to the family, prayed over it, and thought it would be a good t for the job description versus my skill set that I’ve developed. [I’m] honored to have the chance to serve the community. While you’ve been LHISD superintendent, you’ve led the district through two bond elections with over $1 billion in construction projects. How do you think your experience serving as superintendent has prepared you to be county judge? School districts don’t move as fast as develop- ers, so we really have to stay on top. We get demo- graphic reports quarterly [and] talk to developers almost every day just to see where the houses are going and where we need the schools. Getting the

ANNA MANESSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

double again in the next 10 years. ... Williamson County has a great reputation and is a leader economically in the state. As the torch gets passed to me, I just want to keep that going. Williamson County has a strategic plan. One of the pillars of that plan is high functioning government, and so I really think that’s a role I can dig into and help the county be as high functioning as possible so all the other people who make the system work can have a clear lane to do their business.

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

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY ANNA MANESS

24 bills officials are following this legislative session

Bill Stages

With the 89th Texas legislative session underway, Georgetown officials are tracking several bills that, if passed, could affect the city. Ahead of the session, council members adopted a legislative agenda that Georgetown residents put together. The agenda is centered on three pillars: preserving local control, planning for growth and preserving a high quality of life. During a board workshop, Intergovernmental Relations Manager Leah Clark discussed bills most pertinent to the three themes in the city’s legislative agenda.

Once a bill is introduced, it moves through seven steps before becoming a law.

Stage 1 Filed

Stage 2 Out of Senate Committee

Stage 3 Voted on by Senate

Stage 4 Out of House Committee

Stage 5 Voted on by House

Stage 6 Governor Action

Stage 7 Bill becomes law

NOTE: BILL STAGES WERE CHECKED AS OF APRIL 14 SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

1 Preserving local control Clark said several bills could affect Georgetown’s ability to preserve local control. According to the presentation, those proposed bills and their

Senate Bill 673 • restricts a city’s ability to regulate accessory dwelling units by prohibiting city parking regulations and limiting city height regulations • allows for between 125,000 and 1 million additional multifamily units to be built in Georgetown; removes the city’s ability to collect impact fees Senate Bill 840 Senate Bill 844 • changes the threshold of affected landowners required to trigger a zoning hearing Senate Bill 854 • mandates municipalities must allow multifamily and mixed-use developments on religious land Senate Bill 1237 • provides a tax exemption for certain property owned by charitable organizations for residents 62 years of age Senate Bill 1509 • prohibits city regulations within extraterritorial jurisdictions. Preserving a high quality of life 2 Planning for growth Clark discussed six bills that could affect the city’s ability to plan for growth. According to city documents, the proposed bills and their implications are:

Senate Bill 542 & House Bill 517 • prevents a homeowners association from fining someone for having brown grass during a declared drought 3 At the Capitol Georgetown officials have met with local officials’ offices several times to discuss specific issues such as the city’s density and water projects, Clark said. As of Feb. 24, every bill request listed in the council-adopted legislative task force agenda has been filed, she said. Those draft requests include:

Senate Bill 19, SB 239 & SB 1252 • prohibits public funds to hire lobbyists

Clark said some organizations believe SB 1209 is a better way for people to understand what they’re voting for and if they’re voting for tax rate increases. It aims to create a uniform election date—specifically the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, per city documents. House Bill 2977 • allows applicants and landowners to seek third- party reviews and inspections if the regulatory authority city does not act within 15 days House Bill 2736 • requires two-thirds of voters to approve a tax rate increase or bond election, and the vote must be held during a November election Senate Bill 1209 • moves all general, special and runoff elections to the first Tuesday in November instead of the current Saturday elections in May House Bill 2683 • creates a statewide framework for food truck regulations

Senate Bill 616 & House Bill 1618 • refiles an Aquifer Storage and Recovery bill

Senate Bill 1290 • requires package plants—or small wastewater treatment facilities—to have backup power generation Senate Bill 1496 & House Bill 3241 • authorizes municipalities to receive tax revenue from a hotel and convention center project and to pledge tax revenue for the payment of obligations related to the project Senate Bill 1586 • ensures improved security and reliability for package plants before permit approval “SB 1290 and SB 1586 are both by Sen. [Charles] Schwertner, and they are really trying to get around this idea of how we can make package plants less detrimental to the people around them,” Clark said.

SB 1237 | SB 1509 | SB 422 | HB 1480 HB 1909

2 3 4 5 6 7

SB 542 | HB 517 | HB 1618 | SB 1290 | SB 1496 HB 3241 | SB 1586

SB 239 | HB 2683 | HB 2736 | HB 2977

SB 844 | SB 854

2 3 4 5 6 7

SB 19 | SB 1252 | SB 1209

SB 673 | SB 840

SB 616

2 3 4 5 6 7

SOURCE: STATE OF TEXAS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

GEORGETOWN EDITION

LIFETIME WARRANTY

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY BROOKE SJOBERG

GISD still looking for eciencies in 202526 budget As Georgetown ISD administrators continue the process of developing a budget for the 2025-26 nancial year set to begin July 1, discussions with district ocials about eciencies continued April 7. What you need to know

High school no. 4 contracts approved Georgetown ISD is one step closer to work beginning on its fourth comprehensive high school, as contracts for some of the rst phases of construction were approved by district ocials in March. What happened Trustees approved contracts for water infrastructure, site work and commissioning fees totaling just under $49.72 million by consent March 25. The details District documents show the following amounts were approved for these contracts: • Building commissioning fees: not to exceed $665,500, awarded to Estes McClure Associates • Osite domestic waterline: not to exceed $1.38 million, awarded to Liberty Civil Construction, LLC • High School No. 4 guaranteed maximum price No. 1 - site work package: about $47.66 million The contracts are funded by the 2024 bond, as construction of the fourth high school was included in the voter-approved proposal.

Facing a shortfall of about $3.72 million for the 2025-26 school year, GISD Chief Financial Ocer Jennifer Hanna and Superintendent Devin Padavil presented another option to reduce expenses for the district in the coming scal year at an April 7 board workshop. The details The recommendations include campus and district-level department reductions in budgets, program changes and the elimination of some support positions on a campus basis. Remember this? In March, Hanna said the school district was projecting about $172.09 million in expenditures for the 2025-26 school year as it anticipates about $168.37 million in revenue, creating a $3.72 million shortfall. Budgeted expenditures, Hanna said, are the same for the 2025-26 scal year as the previous school year, meaning the shortfall does not yet include raises for employees, although this could change as the district continues planning its budget. What they’re saying Padavil said administrators would continue to work on its budget proposal, which will come to the board for nal approval in June. With the 89th Legislature still underway, lawmakers are considering increases to the

Superintendent Devin Padavil addressed school ocials regarding budget eciencies in April.

BROOKE SJOBERGCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Budget reductions Recommendations for about $3.73 million in budget reductions from administrators focus mostly on the campus level.

Campus level: 48% District level: 32% Special education: 6% Athletics: 3%

SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT

basic allotment that would provide GISD with additional funds for employee compensation increases. House Bill 2 would require 40% of the $395 proposed increase to the $6,160 per-student allotment, and 75% of that compensation to be for teachers, specically.

CEDAR BREAKS RD.

District, city and TxDOT partner on trac signal

consent agenda March 25. The details As part of an agreement for the design of the project, GISD will contribute $72,500. It will make it safer for buses making left turns. The signal will also help San Gabriel Elementary School and Benold Middle School, as it is in their attendance zones.

Georgetown ISD will partner with local entities to install a trac signal at the intersection of Parkside Parkway and Hwy. 29. What you need to know GISD will partner with the city of Georgetown and the Texas Department of Transportation to install the trac signal, district documents show, to allow school buses to make safer left turns. The school district approved an agreement for the design with DKS associates as part of its

Trac signal

GEORGETOWN EDITION

Transportation

BY ANNA MANESS

183A Toll extension opens between Leander and Liberty Hill

A 5.3-mile stretch of the 183A Toll from Hero Way in Leander to Hwy. 29 in Liberty Hill opened to trac April 9. What you need to know The road is part of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority’s 183A Phase 3 project, which extends the existing 10-mile 183A Toll northward, according to the Mobility Authority’s website. The project adds two tolled lanes in each direc- tion within the median of the US 183 corridor and introduces a shared-use path spanning from Hero Way to Seward Junction Loop, according to previous Community Impact reporting. According to a release from the Mobility Author- ity, the extended 183A Toll will provide drivers with nearly 16 miles of travel between Liberty Hill and Northwest Austin by bypassing trac signals at Hero Way, San Gabriel Parkway, Bryson Ridge Trail and Whitewing Drive.

Keep in mind The toll rate for a trip on the roughly 5-mile extension is $2.83 for drivers with electronic tags, like a TollTag or EZ Tag. Drivers wishing to avoid a toll charge can use the nontolled general purpose lanes of US 183, per the release. In the coming weeks, construction crews will con- tinue working on the nal stretch of 183A Toll main lines, which will allow drivers to bypass the signaled intersection at Hwy. 29, according to the release. "This is a fast-growing corridor in a fast-growing community, so this new stretch of 183A Toll will bring much-needed congestion relief to Williamson County," Mobility Authority Executive Director James Bass said in the release. The 183A Phase 3 project was nanced by the sell- ing of bonds backed by toll revenue and a loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Mobility Authority spokesperson Sylvia Shelton previously told Community Impact.

183A Toll extension Phase 3 of 183A Toll from Hero Way in Leander to Hwy. 29 in Liberty Hill.

Liberty Hill

183

WHITE WING DR.

BRYSON RIDGE TRL.

SAN GABRIEL PKWY.

270

183

Leander

183A TOLL

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ANNA MANESS & DARCY SPRAGUE

City sets goal of zero trac deaths by 2050 Georgetown City Council adopted a Vision Zero statement on March 25, which sets a goal of eliminating trac deaths by 2025. What it means Vision Zero is a strategy adopted by cities and counties, including Austin, Williamson and Travis Counties, and other neighboring cities, to eliminate trac fatalities. Georgetown’s statement set a goal of reducing fatalities and serious injuries by half by 2035 and to zero by 2050. The city may partner with Williamson County to utilize Safe Streets and Roads for All funding from Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to the city’s presentation.

Georgetown area toll under consideration Williamson County commissioners are pushing forward with a study for the Ronald Reagan Boulevard corridor. The details On April 15, county commissioners approved a resolution asking the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority to conduct a trac and reve- nues study for the corridor, which is expected to eventually become an eight-lane controlled-ac- cess roadway. The roughly 30-mile project has ve total seg- ments and stretches from RM 1431 in Cedar Park to I-35 in Georgetown. The roadway also travels through Leander and Liberty Hill. Williamson County is considering a design that includes the addition of two managed—or tolled—lanes in each direction and two free general purpose lanes in each direction to create the future

Segment E

241

Segment C

195

N.LAKE RD.

Segment D

183

Segment B

130 TOLL

Segment A

1431

183A TOLL

eight-lane roadway, per county documents. A two-part Mobility Authority study would help determine if the corridor is toll-viable and would cost $600,000 combined, Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long told Community Impact. The study would be funded by the authority, which collects money from toll revenue.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Development

BY ANNA MANESS

New homes underway in West Bend Wolf Ranch is a master-planned community with Hill Country views and hundreds of homes in west Georgetown o Hwy. 29.

West Bend future development South Fork community Hilltop community Citizen House Wolf Ranch

David Weekley Homes will oer eight dierent oor plans ranging from 2,400-3,800 square feet situated on 60-foot homesites, according to a release. David Weekley Homes will have three to ve bedrooms, two to four full baths, up to one half- bath and three- to four-car garages. Zooming out Residents can embark on 17 miles of hike and bike trails throughout the entire Wolf Ranch community and enjoy two amenity centers located in the Hilltop and South Fork neighborhoods. Andrus said West Bend will bring a third amen- ity site to the area, to include: • A 15-acre park with a soccer eld • A cricket eld • A mountain bike course connecting South Fork’s amenity center underneath Southwest Bypass

The community has two developed neighbor- hoods—Hilltop and South Fork—and will soon be expanding with West Bend, its third and nal neighborhood development. Homebuilder Coventry Homes will have over 100 homesites for sale in the new neighborhood, and still has a few homes for sale in South Fork, said Daniel Andrus, a Coventry Homes representative. David Weekley Homes is set to begin construction on 36 new homesites in the West Bend community by the end of March, an ocial said in an email. In a nutshell The West Bend neighborhood will be built on 325 acres and have 671 homesites, according to previous Community Impact reporting. Andrus said 146 of those homesites will be Coventry Homes, which will start at $484,000.

Wolf Ranch Elementary School

River Camp

SOUTHWEST BYP.

West Bend will feature:

Coventry Homes 146 David Weekly Homes homes 36 671 homesites upon completion

A place worth Protect in

Welcome to Georgetown’s legislative advocacy.

Several bills filed in the ongoing 89th Texas Legislative Session could affect the City’s ability to plan for and regulate growth at the local level. According to recent FlashVote polls, we know that is not what our residents want. While City leaders continue to meet with our state elected officials, they need to hear from our residents, too. Help us fight for what we love about our community. Reach out to your representatives today. For more information, visit georgetowntexas.gov/txlege.

#LoveWhereYouLive |

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY ANNA MANESS

Georgetown approves rezoning for business park Georgetown City Council members gave nal approval to rezone a 9.12-acre property from an agriculture to business park zoning district on March 25. The rezoning paves way for Precise Space

Habitat for Humanity project breaks ground Five years after Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County purchased land for a development in Georgetown called Shep- herd’s Village, ocials held a groundbreak- ing ceremony April 12. The big picture The city approved HFHWC’s building permit to start the rst pair of aordable condominiums. The community’s buildout will have 12 total condos divided between six buildings housing two families each.

Georgetown, a future business park Capital Con- struction LLC is looking to build on the land. The big picture The 9.12-acre property would include mini ware- houses and oce space at the northwest corner of SH 130 and CR 152, according to city documents. The site would be rezoned from an agriculture to business park zoning district, Assistant Planning Director Travis Baird said during a presentation to council. As of March 11, the city received eight letters of opposition from nearby property owners. The rezoning received unanimous approval from coun- cil members and is set to have a second council vote March 25 before ocial changes are made.

Capital Construction LLC is looking to build a business park in north Georgetown.

152

CRYSTAL KNOLL BLVD.

130

What’s next Georgetown’s Future Land Use map places the proposed rezoning site within the city’s “employ- ment center,” which looks to maximize employ- ment and service providing abilities, Baird said.

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