Government
BY GRANT CRAWFORD & ZACHARIA WASHINGTON
Local leaders take steps to ensure water supply as drought persists To secure a continued water supply from Lake Travis in the thick of ongoing drought conditions, Cedar Park City Council approved the construction and recommissioning of a temporary oating raw water intake system Feb. 8. Some context The continued decline in Lake Travis water levels prompted city o cials to start the process of recommissioning in early 2023. Lake Travis levels are at 631.5 feet, and the tem- porary intake system will need to operate should levels fall below 618 feet, said Eric Rauschuber, Cedar Park’s director of public works and utilities. “The engineering is complete, the drought persists, and it’s becoming a necessary time for recommissioning,” he said.
WilCo water group’s petition voted down The Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District board of directors voted down a petition from the Aquifer Conser- vation Alliance to annex the western half of Williamson County Feb. 14. What’s happening Based in Bell County, the district manages and regulates the use of water wells. If the Clearwater UWCD approved the petition, the item would have gone before a ected Williamson County voters. However, the Clearwater UWCD board voted not to approve the petition, citing exorbitant costs it would take to run an election. It would have cost the Clearwater UWCD $75,000 to run the election in Bell County and another $380,000 to run the election in Williamson County.
Leander council updates city noise ordinance Since November, Leander o cials have been working to update the city’s noise ordinance to be more clear and create a more peaceful environ- ment for residents. Council approved the updated noise ordinance during its Feb. 15 meeting. The last time the ordinance was updated was more than a decade ago, Mayor Christine DeLisle said in a message to
The timeline 2009: Cedar Park and Leander enter into an agreement to construct a drought contingency raw water intake barge and underwater pipeline 2013: Construction on the barge concludes 2015: Lake Travis’ water levels improved with rains, causing the barge to be decommissioned, removed from the water and stored 2023: In May, o cials approved the design for the reconstruction of the intake system 2024: Construction is approved and anticipated to conclude in late summer
“It's imperative that we modernize our outdated noise ordinance to re ect the
evolving needs and dynamics of our community, ensuring a more harmonious and peaceful environment
SCOTTSDALE DR.
183A TOLL
N
for all residents.” CHRISTINE DELISLE, LEANDER MAYOR
The Crossover food trucks gain approval Cedar Park City Council approved a special use permit Jan. 25 that allows up to six food trucks at The Crossover. The backstory In June, council passed an ordinance that requires businesses with more than one food truck to have a special use permit. O cials said the three previous food trucks at The Crossover were “grandfathered in.” The venue then added three more trucks in December.
SOURCE: CITY OF CEDAR PARK COMMUNITY IMPACT
for commercial businesses and construction work as well as includes de nitions to clarify construc- tion, demolition and maintenance work. Any construction, demolition or maintenance work will not be allowed between 9 p.m.-7 a.m., according to city documents. However, some construction activity may be allowed during these hours with waivers from council. The updated ordinance also permits higher noise for school and special events, and entertain- ment zones. Council is able to grant exemptions to the ordinance for special events or emergencies.
The takeaway With forecast drought conditions and low lake levels, city leaders are recommending expediting the process of getting the intake system back in service. O cials said the barge will need to be operational by the end of the summer or early fall. Rauschuber said the construction of the intake system is expected to take ve to six months. Cedar Park’s portion of the cost is $4.2 million. Leander, which also utilizes the system, will pay $1.8 million as it receives a smaller portion of the water.
Community Impact . Sorting out details
One of the changes to the ordinance included modi cations to the maximum sound level. It sets residential sound levels during the day at 65 dBA—the sound pressure level in decibels—or 10 dBA above background noise, whichever is lower. At night, maximum residential sound levels are 55 dBA or 5 dBA above background noise. The ordinance also sets maximum volume levels
HYMEADOW 12611 Hymeadow (512) 506-8401
NORTH 620 10601 N FM 620 (512) 506-8316
CEDAR PARK 13530 Ronald Reagan Blvd (512) 986-7681
Powered by FlippingBook