Government
BY MICHAEL MILLIORN
Kyle council OKs company’s Foreign Trade Zone application An advanced materials manufacturer serving the semiconductor industry in Kyle could see significant annual tariff savings after a City Council vote April 7. The overview ENF (Kyle) Technology LLC has an active application to designate its facility as a Foreign Trade Zone, according to agenda documents. An FTZ designation could save the company approximately $300,000 in tariff duties each year. The council approved a letter of no objec- tion in support of the company’s application. Companies established as an FTZ can import goods without paying tariffs or federal duties until the goods enter the U.S. market. Exports from the zone are not taxed. The company has invested in equipment at the Kyle site and can expand the region’s growing semiconductor industry under the FTZ distinction, agenda documents state. San Marcos City Council advances increased data center restrictions The San Marcos City Council is updating its Land Development Code and Design Manual, in part to address new types of development. The council voted to increase restrictions on data center development at an April 21 meeting. What happened City staff proposed an update to the Land Use Matrix to add data centers to the system as an indi- vidual line item, according to agenda documents. San Marcos citizens have voiced concerns about data centers in the city due to their water use and environmental impacts. Further restricting data centers through the LDC will ensure the city council can fully review proposed projects before approval. Mayor Jane Hughson proposed an amendment that was approved by council,
Buda updates transportation plan The city of Buda’s Transportation Mobility Master Plan, or TMMP, details active trans- portation projects throughout the community and guides the development of future proj- ects. The City Council approved an update to the plan on April 7. The whole story The 2026 TMMP update reflects the current conditions of city roads, provides updates to transportation project cost estimates, and details additional project needs that will direct city planning and growth, according to a Buda news release. New projects and updated street juris- dictions are also outlined in the 2026 plan. The plan provides details on road projects, including multiple downtown streets and projects funded through the city’s 2021 bond.
Zooming in The San Marcos City Council voted on a variety of amendments to the city’s development code pertaining to additional restrictions on data centers at an April 21 meeting.
MICHAEL MILLIORN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
restricting data center development to High Industrial-zoned areas on a conditional basis. While the City Council voted on the data cen- ter-related amendments at the April 21 meeting, the changes have yet to be finalized. The amend- ments are part of a larger agenda item to approve all suggested updates to the city’s LDC and Design Manual. Council will vote on the final reading on May 19, after press time.
Hays County point-in-time counts Observed cases represent individuals who could not be approached or did not wish to participate. The decrease in sheltered persons between 2025 and 2026 is due to weather conditions. Surveys are held on the same day across Texas. The 2025 census was on a cold-weather day, leading more homeless residents to use shelters, according to Hays County Homeless Coalition officials.
Observed Unsheltered Sheltered
2024
2025
2026
SOURCE: HAYS COUNTY HOMELESS COALITION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Hays County reports point-in-time homelessness data The Hays County Homeless Coalition presented the 2026 point-in-time data to the Commissioners Court on April 14, showing an increase in unshel- tered residents and indicating a possible need for more access to transitional housing. The details On count day, volunteers collect data on citizens experiencing both unsheltered and sheltered Unsheltered individuals include those who are living in places not meant for human habitation. Sheltered individuals are reported by emer- gency, temporary and transitional shelters, and include citizens who stayed in a shelter the night of Jan. 22 when the count was conducted. “Despite a decline in total homelessness, the
increase in unsheltered individuals suggests system strain and barriers to accessing shelters,” said Nancy Heintz, Hays County Homeless Coalition board member.
homelessness. Data is collected on observed cases of homelessness when the individual could not be approached or did not wish to participate.
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