2023 ANNUAL COMMUNITY GUIDE
Population data generated by the city’s Planning and Development Services Department and the U.S. Census Bureau projects Round Rock and its extraterritorial jurisdiction will reach 266,051 residents by 2040. Recorded population Projected population
Ella Sauls Morrison has lived in the Round Rock area for several decades and said she fears the rising cost of living has led some older, longtime residents on xed incomes to seek new homes elsewhere. “New development is catered to people who can a ord it,” Sauls Morrison said. “What about the rest of us?” With new residents mov- ing in, many of the exist- ing roadways have become more crowded, especially in areas of town serviced by two-lane arterials. Christine Gonzales, who lives in a community o of Red Bud Lane in northeast Round Rock, said she is con- cerned about safety on the two-lane road as develop- ment in her area expands. She suggested additional tra c control measures and widening the road, which is included in the city’s Trans- portation Master Plan. “[Red Bud Lane] has always been used as a bypass, but it’s becoming more and more popular now,” Gonza- les said. “I don’t even know where it’s possible to widen roads anymore.” School district planning Planning for additional housing is moving at a fast pace for city leaders and developers, but Terry Worcester, Round Rock ISD’s chief operating o cer, said growth projections are not as urgent for RRISD regarding enrollment considerations.
City sta based their population estimate of 266,051 in part on the number of units planned for the various housing developments proposed in upcoming projects.
300K
250K
Residential type:
+48.88% FROM 2020
200K
Senior living: 1.80 people per household Multifamily: 1.94 people per household Single family: 2.85 people per household
+39.92% FROM 2020
+28.10% FROM 2020
150K
+13.15% FROM 2020
0
2020
2025
2030
2035
2040
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCES: CITY OF ROUND ROCK, U.S. CENSUS BUREAU COMMUNITY IMPACT
The district is constantly engaged in planning for growth within its district, but planning for the student pop- ulation of a school district is slightly di erent than the way a city might plan for its population, Worcester said. The district typically views multifamily housing as “low- yield” as far as the number of school-aged children who may live there, unless it is geared toward families with multibedroom apartments, he said. Additionally, Worcester said population estimates, such as those prepared by the city, go a long way in planning for the district, but they may not prompt immediate action, such as a bond to fund new campuses. Campuses needing addi- tional capacity have multiple
Council has approved multi- ple multifamily developments in the downtown area, with one project under construc- tion called The Depot. Located behind City Hall and north of the Union Paci c Railroad tracks, The Depot will bring 80 townhomes to the downtown area. Other housing develop- ments approved in 2022 that could bring more multifamily units to downtown include a 60-unit townhome develop- ment o of East Main Street and a 410-unit apartment complex just south of the train tracks. The Depot is anticipated to be move-in ready by the end of 2023, but completion esti- mates are not yet available for the other two projects. Round Rock’s Planning and Development Services
ways of adding room for new students before making such large investments, he said. “These large-scale develop- ments happen fairly slowly,” Worcester said. “The district has to be mindful that it’s like the tortoise—it’s going to move along at a steady pace.” Expanding downtown A key element to planning for the city’s growth is the Round Rock 2030 Compre- hensive Plan. A major goal outlined in the Round Rock 2030 Com- prehensive Plan, which details much of the pop- ulation growth planning underway in the city, is the construction of 1,000 addi- tional housing units within a quarter-mile of downtown to enhance walkability. To accomplish this, City
Department worked over the past several years to increase standards for mul- tifamily projects, providing additional requirements such as privacy walls and foliage when located near single-fam- ily homes. Other adaptations to standards include the outward appearance of mul- tifamily developments for ele- ments, such as balconies. has “I think for the longest time, multifamily kind of had a bad name,” Morgan said. “But the standards are so much di erent now. Back in 2011, this was a concern at the city, and we created some tiered levels of standards. I think that helps maintain their value.”
For more information, visit communityimpact.com.
2023! Happy
RECYCLING MOTHER NATURE SINCE 1975
RENT GREEN WASTE DUMPSTERS OR RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE & BRUSH AT ANY OF OUR LOCATIONS
OPEN MON-SAT 7AM-5PM | DELIVERY & CURBSIDE PICKUP AVAILABLE
4 Retail Locations in Central Texas: ROUND ROCK • AUSTIN • LIBERTY HILL • GRANITE SHOALS
512-989-7625
www.989rock.com
27
ROUND ROCK EDITION • JANUARY 2023
Powered by FlippingBook