Southwest Austin - Dripping Springs Edition | October 2025

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Southwest Austin Dripping Springs Edition VOLUME 18, ISSUE 7 OCT. 28NOV. 24, 2025

New thrills headed to Circuit of the Americas

to open a full-scale amusement park next summer at its sprawling complex. “I think what we’re trying to do is build a destination,” he said. “We want Central Texas residents’ rst thought to be ‘There’s a lot to do out at COTA.’”

BY JOEL VALLEY

Circuit of the Americas is shifting into high gear to provide more entertainment—a move that will make the facility more than a motorsports mecca. Bobby Epstein, chairman of COTA, shared plans with Community Impact

CONTINUED ON 20

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS BLVD.

812

With 33 attractions planned, including the Circuit Breaker roller coaster, an amusement park is taking shape 15 miles from Downtown Austin. PHOTO BY MATTHEW BROOKSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Also in this issue

Government: Discover where campaign money is going for the Austin election (Page 13)

Community: Learn about 10 new artistic stars to be displayed in Dripping Springs (Page 24)

Business: Check out 50 years of the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar (Page 27)

With you on your cancer journey.

You can feel confident about your cancer care when you partner with an expert team. That’s why we’re proud to welcome Dr. Yuhang Zhou to Baylor Scott & White Cancer and Infusion Center – Austin Oak Hill. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, looking to establish care or want a second opinion, we’ll work with you to develop a personal care plan and provide guidance and support at every step.

Welcome, Yuhang Zhou, MD, PhD Medical Oncology

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

SOUTHWEST AUSTIN - DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

The more you feed the blob the bigger it gets, becoming a monster clog causing expensive repairs, foul odors and sanitary sewer overflows! Fat, oil and grease comes from food like cooking oil, meat drippings, butter, sauces, gravy, dairy products, and even salad dressing. Help stop the Grease Blob! 6 Scrape food scraps into the trash or compost if you can 6 Collect cooking oil in a container then toss into the trash 6 Use paper towels or wipes to remove grease. DON’T FLUSH , toss them into the trash

Austinwater.org

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

Katlynn Fox Dacia Garcia

Manny Holguin Haley McLeod Hannah Norton Karoline Pfeil Brooke Sjoberg Ben Thompson Joel Valley Gracie Warhurst

Judy LeBas General Manager jlebas@communityimpact. com

Sienna Wight Chloe Young Graphic Designers Abbey Eckhardt Alissa Foss Abigail Jones Sabrina Musachia

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

Elle Bent Editor ebent@ communityimpact.com

Lindsee Sanchez Account Executive lsanchez@ communityimpact.com

16225 Impact Way Pugerville, TX 78660 • 5129896808 CI Careers

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Impacts Southwest Austin

3 Hero Circle The tap room and cigar lounge offers a private smoking area, a full bar and eats, with outdoor seating and rotating liquor shelves. Hero Circle shares some space with Fired Pizzas, which Steve and Cynthia Harvey, the owners of the Hero Circle, opened in 2021. • Opened Sept. 1 • 11160 Circle Drive, Austin • www.hero-circle.com 4 Salam’s Grill The Middle Eastern food truck is now open at Vacancy Brewing. The concept emerged from the North Austin Peace Bakery & Deli family, with the son of founders Nuha and Jihad Hammad, Amr Hammad, leading the new venture. • Opened Oct. 4 • 415 E. St. Elmo Road, Bldg. 1-D2, Austin • Instagram: @salamsgrillatx 5 Training Mate The Australian-born company has arrived in Austin with group fitness opportunities via a membership-based model. • Opened Oct. 18 • 4341 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 125, Austin • https://trainingmate.com/studios/austin-soco

360

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FITZHUGH RD.

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E. WILLIAM CANNON DR.

DUNANT WAY

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RIDDLE RD.

BILBROOK PL.

DREW LN.

Coming soon

OLD MENCHACA RD.

6 Family Care Center The center offers outpatient mental health services which include therapy, psychiatric services, transcranial magnetic stimulation, mental health intensive outpatient programs and educational testing. Interested individuals can be seen for a range of conditions from depression and personality disorders to anger management, grief and loss. • Opening March 23 • 8701 Menchaca Road, Ste. 102, Austin • www.fccwellbeing.com 7 Southside Golf Co. A golf and pool lounge is coming to Manchaca, featuring TrackMan simulators, Smart Diamond pool tables, leagues and lessons.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

• Opened Sept. 27 • 5400 Brodie Lane, Ste. 1010, Austin • www.the-alley.us

Now open

1 The Alley The company operates locations on the West and East Coast in addition to Hawaii and Texas. Texas locations include Houston, Garland, Plano, Cedar Park and Katy. Customers can enjoy a variety of drinks from Brown Sugar Boba, milk tea options, specialty drinks, cold brew drinks and brew tea.

2 Drew Lane From Ash Creek Homes, this new housing community features 28 two-bedroom homes starting in the $400,000s. • Opened in October • 2414 Drew Lane, Austin • www.ashcreekhomes.com/drew-lane

FALL IN TO FERTILITY Let’s take the next steps together.

Dr. Chang is accepting new patients

737.497.9944 5301 Southwest Parkway, Bldg. 2, Ste 350 Austin 78735

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY DACIA GARCIA & SIENNA WIGHT

• Opening in late December • 11215 Conroy Lane, Unit 4, Manchaca • www.southsidegolfco.com

Coming soon

Worth the trip

8 Cheba Hut Founded by Scott Jennings in 1998, Cheba Hut serves over 30 signature sub sandwiches and is open late. The sub shop can also be found off The Drag near The University of Texas at Austin. • Opening Nov. 10 • 7101 E. William Cannon Drive, Ste. 400, Austin • www.chebahut.com

PERMITS FILED WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

What’s next

9 Leif Johnson Ford A new Ford dealership consisting of both a showroom building and a service building are under construction and slated to be completed in 2026, according to permit filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration. • 9300 W. Hwy. 71, Austin (showroom); 9220 W. Hwy. 71, Austin (service building) • www.leifjohnsonford.com 10 Quickie Pickie Construction of a Quickie Pickie is slated to begin in December, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations filing. Quickie Pickie is a cafe, bar and market. • 4315 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 101, Austin • www.quickiepickieaustin.com

12 The Back Nine Golf The indoor golf studio offers course-like golf simulations where guests can practice their swing at any time of day, as the business provides 24/7 tee times. Owned by local couple David and Orit Mann, The Back Nine team is offering discounts to the first 30-40 people to sign up to be founding members. • Opening first week of November • 3601 Davis Lane, Ste. 310, Austin • www.thebackninegolf.com/southwestaustintx

Neon Armadillo The restaurant will open in The Junction, a city center about four miles from Wimberley Square. With 30,000 square feet of entertainment, bar and dining space, the eatery is bringing a combination of family-style Tex-Mex barbecue and sustainability.

• Opening in November • 9595 RR 12, Wimberley • www.neonarmadillowtx.com

Autism Spectrum Disorder with their various clinical services. The clinic has grown into three locations and expanded with in-home services to provide more flexibility for families. • 322 W. William Cannon Drive, Austin • www.trainingwheelsaba.com

In the news

13 Mosaic Church The church celebrated its 30th anniversary Oct. 5. In addition to its church services, Mosaic also manages Mosaic Street Ministry which provides coffee, breakfast, clothes, hygiene products, mail services, showers, housing information and prayer to the unhoused community.

Relocations

11 Girl Guitar The guitar business hosts guitar lessons, songwriting classes and band sessions for women ages 21 and up. The business relocated from its previous location at 2309 Thornton Road Studio C, Austin, in early September. • 8701 S. First St., Bldg. 2, Ste. 220, Austin • www.girlguitaraustin.com

Closings

15 Chinos Fusion Hacienda After 10 years of serving breakfast, tacos, house specialties and rice bowls, co-owners Tom Hsieh and Owen Holley have announced the restaurant will close. • Closing Oct. 25 • 6705 Hwy. 290 W., Ste. 608, Austin • www.chinoshacienda.com

• 9910 Bilbrook Place, Austin • www.makingamosaic.com

14 Training Wheels ABA Southwest Austin business Training Wheels ABA is celebrating five years helping children diagnosed with

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Impacts

Dripping Springs

BY SIENNA WIGHT

• 12400 Hwy. 290 Ste. 230, Dripping Springs • www.the-alley.us

BELL SPRINGS RD.

MIGHTY TIGER TRAIL

290

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SPRINGS LN. 1

Relocations

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5 Therapy Adventures Therapy Adventures relocated to a larger space from its previous location at 27008 RR 12, Unit A, Dripping Springs. The clinic offers a range of pediatric services, including speech, feeding and occupational therapy. • Relocated Sept. 15 • 2440 E. Hwy. 290, Bldg. C, Ste. B, Dripping Springs • www.therapy-adventures.com

2 3

MAP NOT TO SCALE

• Opened Aug. 14 • 13341 W. Hwy. 290, Bldg. 2, Austin • www.schreierwealth.com

Now open

162

1 Texacello Craft Spirits The tasting room and bottle shop is now offering tastings and bottle sales of Paula’s Liqueurs, Republic Whiskey, 1876 Vodka and Martine Honeysuckle Liqueur. The business is a sister distillery of Dripping Springs Distilling, owned by local brothers Gary and Kevin Kelleher. • Opened July 14 • 171 Springs Lane, Ste. 200, Dripping Springs • www.paulastexasspirits.com 2 Schreier Wealth Owned by local Paul Schreier, the company provides a range of services from asset management to retirement planning. 150

3 Betty Lash The salon, owned by Azure Grillo, offers services such as lash extensions and lifts, facials, waxing and hair tinsels. • Opened Oct. 7 • 13341 W. US Hwy. 290, #1103, Austin, TX • www.bettylash.com

In the news

6 Corridor Title Corridor Title is celebrating 15 years in Dripping Springs. The team provides residential and commercial title expertise as well as title examination. • 171 Benney Lane, Bldg. 1, Dripping Springs • www.corridortitle.com

PERMITS FILED WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

What’s next

4 The Alley The boba tea shop may move into the Ledgestone area. The Alley menu includes fruit and milk teas and other specialties.

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708 HEADWATERS BLVD | DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX 78620 Materials are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. All rights in these materials are reserved. All products and company names marked as trademarked (™) or registered (®) are trademarks of their respective holders. Copying, reproduction and distribution of materials without prior written consent of Freehold Communities is strictly prohibited. All information, plans, and pricing are subject to change without notice. This information does not represent a specific offer of sale or solicitation to purchase property within Headwaters. Models do not reflect racial preference. Buyer incentives are subject to change without notice. Please see each individual builder for more information on incentives and special pricing.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY HALEY MCLEOD, BEN THOMPSON & SIENNA WIGHT

New city short-term rental rules in eect Approval of new rules for short-term rentals, or STRs, in September ended a reg- ulatory overhaul meant to curb unlicensed rental operations and nuisances in Austin. What happened For years, Austin hasn’t been able to keep up with the spread of rental units that aren’t registered with the city—and therefore not paying hotel occupancy taxes that support cultural initiatives. Multiple attempts to tackle the issue led to this year’s changes. New policies are aimed at making it easier to strike unlicensed STR listings from plat- forms like Airbnb and Vrbo, and ensuring full tax collections. City Council also moved to streamline the licensing process, allow renters to participate in the STR market, and permit up to two rentals on lots with multiple housing units.

Tax hike to boost Travis County health care services Travis County homeowners will see about $64 added to their property tax bills after commission- ers approved a tax increase to fund county health care services Sept. 16. The big picture • Curb avoidable hospital readmissions and emergency room visits • Expand health insurance coverage for more patients • Close gaps in care

County hospital district Central Health’s tax rate will increase 9.3% in scal year 2025-26, to $0.118023 per $100 property valuation. The aver- age homeowner will pay roughly $608 in property taxes to Central Health, up from $544 last year. Dubbed the “year of access” by Central Health ocials, the additional funding would expand and speed up health care options for low-income residents. District documents outlined several “patient-rst” priorities for the coming year: • Reduce appointment wait times to under two weeks

The biggest jump in spending is for primary care services, which would rise from about $74 million to just over $103 million, with most of that for an expanded partnership with CommUnityCare. Another major increase is for behavioral health specialty care, which would grow from about $25.7 million to more than $40 million. That reects additional funding for Integral Care. Beyond those two areas, most other services will see smaller, steady increases, as the agency strengthens its specialty health care programs and hires in-demand specialist doctors. There is also new funding designated for diagnostic services.

Central Health tax rate year-over-year Travis County leaders have raised the hospital district’s tax rate to fund health care services for several years.

$0.12

“... We’re nally getting to a point where we have a workable, enforceable STR ordinance that will be able to stand up to legal challenge and also generate

$0.118023

$0.11

$0.111814

$0.107969

the hotel occupancy tax that we’ve been trying to get into the city coers.” CHITO VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER

$0.10

$0.100692

$0.098684

$0.09

+9.31%

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

SOURCE: CENTRAL HEALTHTRAVIS COUNTY

Dripping Springs ocials OK budget, tax rate Dripping Springs ocials passed a $30.34 million budget for scal year 2025-26, with a tax rate of $0.2267 per $100 of valuation. The gist The new budget will raise approximately

Billing increase The average Dripping Spring homeowner will see their annual tax bill rise about 27% next year.

The average homeowner will pay about $1,266 in property taxes, a roughly $269 increase compared to the previous year based on a $0.047 tax rate increase. The general fund budget will cover expenses such as: • $2.65 million for transportation improvement projects • $538,500 for park improvements • $223,602 for Founder’s Day

$997.59

2024-25

+26.93%

$1.2 million more from property taxes, which ocials said is a 32.4% increase from FY 2024-25. “This increase supports continued city services and infrastructure investments,” the taxpayer impact statement reads.

$1,266.24

2025-26

SOURCE: CITY OF DRIPPING SPRINGSCOMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: BASED ON AVERAGE TAXABLE HOMESTEAD VALUES OF $556,068 IN FY 202425 AND $558,554 IN FY 202526

SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Election

BY BEN THOMPSON

Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised by groups for and against Austin’s tax rate increase ballot measure, Proposition Q. Approval of a higher city tax rate would bring in almost $110 million for homelessness response, public health and safety, and other uses. Its rejection would force officials to trim Austin’s budget based on a lower tax rate. Political entities campaigning around the tax rate election include Love Austin and Austinites for Equity, raising more than $130,000 in support by early fall. Restore Leadership ATX and Save Austin Now, which led the successful 2021 campaign to restore Austin’s public camping ban, raised more than $110,000 in opposition. TRE campaign ramp up

Zooming in

Fundraising in focus From July though late September, political groups raised and spent tens of thousands of dollars for and against Austin's tax rate election.

Mayor Kirk Watson and council members Vanessa Fuentes and Chito Vela contributed a combined $26,000 to Love Austin. The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition and a public employee union also each donated $25,000, and a local EMS workers’ political group and nonprofit Foundation Communities each pledged $25,000. Other homelessness and housing entities added thousands of dollars. Hundreds of people sent $10- $10,000 to Save Austin Now. Restore Leadership’s largest donation was $25,000 from an LLC linked to Horizon Bank. Donations of $1,000- $10,000 came from other entities and five West Austin residents. Final preelection financial reports are due Oct. 27, after press time.

Donations

Spending

Cash on hand

Austinites for Equity (supports Proposition Q)

$30,000

$307.48

$82,447.08

Love Austin (supports Proposition Q)

$102,870.30

$58,837.08

$41,972.92

$52,522.42 Restore Leadership ATX (opposes Proposition Q) $49,000 $2,549.29 $63,506.76 Save Austin Now (opposes Proposition Q) $10,309.13 $12,863.19

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Transportation

BY HALEY MCLEOD

360

2025; William Cannon bridge access closed until 2026 • Cost: $677 million allocated for the entire project • Funding source: TxDOT Texas Clear Lanes

Ongoing projects

1 Slaughter Lane corridor multimodal improvements Project: improvements include adding sidewalks, bike lanes as well as traffic upgrades. Update: Daytime construction to install a new pedestrian hybrid beacon at Slaughter Lane and Briar Ridge Drive will cause intermittent single-lane closures daily. • Timeline: end of November • Cost: $650,000 • Funding source: 2016 Mobility Bond 2 Oak Hill Parkway Project: Hwy. 290 in Oak Hill is being transformed into a six-lane divided highway with new frontage roads and 14 miles of shared-use paths. Update: The intersections of Monterey Oaks Boulevard, William Cannon Drive and Convict Hill Road will see reduced lanes. Drivers will begin using a new intersection alignment at Hwy. 290 and SH 71. The William Cannon Drive bypass bridge is closed as crews connect it to the new main lanes and flyovers. Eastbound drivers are being detoured to the Hwy. 290 frontage road; the bridge will reopen for westbound traffic once construction wraps up in 2026. • Timeline: intersection closures expected through late 35 71

Completed projects

3 Oak Hill Parkway bridge work Project: The seven-mile stretch of highway has been undergoing a $677 million facelift since 2021. Update: Crews have completed a concrete deck pour for one of the two future connector bridges linking eastbound SH 71 to eastbound Hwy. 290. • Timeline: 2021-2025 • Cost: $677 million allocated for the entire project • Funding source: TxDOT Texas Clear Lanes 4 Mercer Street sidewalk Project: The city of Dripping Springs has partnered with TxDOT to fund a series of sidewalk projects. 183 Update: The Mercer Street sidewalk opened for public use Sept. 15. The pathway stretches from North Rob Shelton Boulevard along Hwy. 290 through downtown Dripping Springs to Mercer Street and RR 12, and includes a raised crosswalk and two pedestrian beacons. • Timeline: April 2025-September 2025 • Cost: roughly $600,000 • Funding source: city of Dripping Springs, TxDOT Transportation Alternatives Grant

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Dripping Springs

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

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Education

BY ELLE BENT, SIENNA WIGHT & CHLOE YOUNG

AISD takes steps on aordable community Austin ISD is one step closer to building aord- able housing for its sta and community members in East Austin. The AISD Public Facility Corporation approved construction of the rst of two income-restricted apartment buildings near East Seventh Street and Airport Boulevard. Developers are expected to break ground on the 341-unit East apartment building in December with a projected completion date of 2028, said Nick Walsh, vice president of development for The NRP Group. What’s happening AISD will build a 675-unit aordable housing community and a new Alternative Learning Center at an 18-acre site in East Austin. The property houses the district’s Anita Ferrales Coy Facility, where a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program is located.

DSISD adopts FY 202526 tax rate

Phase 2: Anita Coy West Apartments Phase 1: Anita Coy East Apartments

SPRINGDALE RD.

The Dripping Springs ISD board of trustees adopted a FY 2025-26 tax rate of $1.1052 per $100 valuation. This is the same rate as FY 2024-25. The gist The tax rate was adopted Sept. 22 and includes $0.7552 for maintenance and opera- tions and $0.35 for interest and sinking. The average homeowner will see a decrease of approximately $360 in their total tax bill. Maintenance and operations taxes fund daily operations such as teacher salaries, supplies and extracurriculars. These taxes are subject to recapture, which allows the state to remove local property tax revenue and reallocate the funds.

About half of the units will be income-restricted at 60% or 80% of the area median income, or AMI. The developer will give priority to leasing units to AISD teachers and sta when they become available in 2028. The site will feature a 5,000-square-foot non- prot space that may be occupied by Todos Juntos, a center for English language learners, Walsh said. The NRP Group is expected to seek the district’s approval to develop the West apartment building in four to six months, he said.

AISD naming rights opportunity made available

“This naming rights program represents a signicant opportunity for businesses and organizations to make a lasting impact on Austin’s educational landscape

Delco Center and Noack Sports Complex. Naming opportunities are available at multiple levels, from marquee facility naming rights to indi- vidual spaces such as press boxes, accommodating partnerships of various scales. Proceeds will support educational programs and operational expenses for the district. All naming opportunities will comply with board policy requirements and receive approval from the board.

Austin ISD and Austin Ed Fund ocials launched a naming rights opportunity for organi- zations to partner with AISD facilities. The details The program will generate revenue for the district and currently oers naming rights to six facilities including the AISD Performing Arts Cen- ter, House Park Field, Nelson Field, Burger Center,

while gaining meaningful community recognition.” MATIAS SEGURA, AUSTIN ISD SUPERINTENDENT

SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

Education

Development

BY CHLOE YOUNG

BY KAROLINE PFEIL

Austin ISD has proposed closing 13 campuses in the 2026-27 school year, seven of which have received three consecutive F ratings from the Texas Education Agency. On Oct. 3, AISD announced the school closure plans alongside new attendance boundaries impacting nearly all campuses, changes to programming at some campuses and transfer policy updates. The board of trustees are expected to vote on the final school consolidation plan and attendance boundaries at the Nov. 20 meeting. The sweeping changes come as AISD looks to address declining enrollment, lower a mounting budget shortfall and provide state- mandated intervention at 12 failing campuses. 13 Austin schools may close

Proposed sewage plant draws protest in Dripping Springs high nutrient pollution limits proposed. Nutrient limits refer to the upper amount of elements like phosphorus and nitrogen allowed in wastewater— if too much of these nutrients are present, it can potentially result in harmful algae blooms, he said. Other issues pointed out were related to land 150 12 PROPOSED MADELYNN ESTATES SUBDIVISION ONION CREEK

School closing

Where students will go Guerrero Thompson, Woolridge elementaries

What else?

Barrington Elementary

The district could close International High School, located at Northeast Early College High School, and offer it as a program housed at Navarro Early College High School. Additionally, AISD has recommended repurposing Odom, Pickle, Sánchez and Wooten elementaries to serve as Spanish dual language campuses, and repurposing Govalle Elementary to serve as a Montessori school. The district is expected to save $25.6 million through the proposed school consolidations—$20 million of which would come through reducing administrative and support staff at merging campuses. AISD may see $300,000 in immediate savings and reduce expenses by $3 million annually for facility operations.

Becker Elementary

Zilker Elementary

Some Dripping Springs residents are pushing back on a new wastewater plant put forward by Allied Development, as part of a proposed residen- tial development. The overview The wastewater facility, or sewage plant, would be constructed on the proposed Madelynn Estates subdivision, 1,500 feet away from Onion Creek and 2,500 feet from the Dripping Springs Waste- water Plant. The plant’s permitting has seen some protest due to concerns surrounding the discharge of treated wastewater into Onion Creek. At this stage in the permitting process, only a draft permit has been prepared—final approval by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is still pending. The details GEAA Technical Director Mike Clifford said that the permit request should be rejected due to

Covington, Paredes, Lively, Mendez middle schools Matthews, Brentwood elementaries

Bedichek Middle School

Bryker Woods Elementary

Dawson Elementary Galindo Elementary Maplewood Elementary Campbell Elementary Martin Middle School Kealing, Marshall, Lively middle schools Oak Springs Elementary Blackshear Elementary Palm Elementary Perez Elementary Ridgetop Elementary Reilly Elementary

PROPOSED WASTEWATER PLANT

EXISTING WASTEWATER PLANT

topography, which Clifford said made the property ill-suited for a wastewater treatment facility. Clif- ford also pointed out the availability of an existing Dripping Springs wastewater treatment facility nearby the newly proposed one. A TCEQ representative said that, at the time of technical review, there was no existing wastewater collection system that Allied Development could tie into. Although Clifford pointed out that the Dripping Springs Wastewater Plant had already existed for many years at that time, the TCEQ representative stated that there was not a pipe system to the plant that could be accessed. In response to concerns about density of a

future residential development on the property, a representative with Allied Development at the meeting stated that plans laid out in the permit application illustrated a “worst-case scenario,” in which 45,000 gallons of wastewater a day would be discharged. The development would include 113 homes over 52 acres, according to city documents. What’s next? The TCEQ will respond to public comments.

Cunningham, Boone elementaries Rodriguez, Houston elementaries

Sunset Valley Elementary

Widén Elementary

Pecan Springs, Andrews, Hart elementaries

Winn Montessori

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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New thrills headed to Circuit of the Americas From the cover

The details

More than a track COTALAND is the latest addition to the Circuit of the Americas site.

The amusement park, dubbed COTALAND, will span approximately 30 acres with 33 attractions by opening day, including: • Two high-thrill roller coasters • Two family-friendly roller coasters • One roller coaster for children ages 3-6 “Most parks would spread this many rides out over a wider space, but what we’ve tried to do with this park is actually condense it a little bit so that we have more shade,” Epstein said. “I think when most of the other amusement parks were built in Texas, 30-50 years ago, shade wasn’t as big of a factor.” These attractions will be located between turns 19 and 20 of the COTA racetrack, where, for an additional cost, guests can take a "Hot Lap" around the track into the amusement park. “It should be the world’s greatest ride,” Epstein said.

Key:

Circuit of the Americas COTALAND Racetrack Germania Insurance Amphitheater

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The Circuit Breaker features a tilting track that rotates 90 degrees.

SOURCE: COTACOMMUNITY IMPACT

COURTESY CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

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Zooming in

Epstein highlighted how there is a similar roller coaster called Siren’s Curse at Cedar Point in Ohio where thrill seekers often wait up to three hours for a single ride. “It’s a spectacular feature,” he said. “People are excited, and we think it’s a roller coaster that people will travel from all over to experience.” Epstein said Circuit Breaker is expected to draw crowds from the Central Texas community to COTALAND, which COTA ocials hope will one day sell two million tickets annually. “That won’t necessarily be the case in year one, but most amusement parks grow over time,” he said. “So we plan to grow into success.”

The Circuit Breaker—a ride that features a 90-degree drop and reaches speeds of up to 60 miles per hour—was the second roller coaster constructed as part of COTALAND, Epstein said. Construction on the attraction concluded in late September, and attendees to the Formula 1 race Oct. 17-19 got to test ride the coaster. The ride itself was selected with the help of a roller coaster specialist with about 20 years of experience with amusement park Six Flags. “It has a tilting platform,” Epstein said. “You go up and then the track comes to an end. You’re suspended in the air and then it tilts down and connects to the rest of the track and sends you on your way.”

Year-round oerings at COTA

COTA Driving Experience

Karting

RV Park

Mini Golf

SOURCE: COTACOMMUNITY IMPACT

The COTA campus—which hosts concerts and festivals in addition to motorsports—currently averages 1.3 million visitors each year, according to COTA ocials.

What ocials are saying

The outlook

Dori Kelley, business attraction, retention and expansion manager for the Bastrop Economic Development Corporation, told Community Impact that the city views every COTA event as an economic opportunity for the city and county. Visit Austin President and CEO Tom Noonan said he believes COTALAND becoming more of a “year-round” destination will drive “great economic development” for Austin and bring in new tourists to the city. “For me, COTALAND is that new family desti- nation that we don’t have as much of in Austin as you’d have in other places like Fiesta Texas or Six Flags,” Noonan said. “... It makes us become

Epstein said he is optimistic that COTALAND could open next summer, and added a water park could be the next step. “I think that’s two or three years down the line—one year to prove that people want to experience things like what we’re building with the amusement park, and then a year or so to build the water park," he said. Epstein said he hopes when families plan their future weekends and vacations they stay close to home and think about heading out to COTA.

"When they have the races out there, it’s great. When they do concerts out there, it’s great. But the idea of having a new attraction out there ... making it more of a destination year-round is going to be great for Austin, Texas." TOM NOONAN, VISIT AUSTIN PRESIDENT AND CEO

a much better family destination with young kids and that’s really going to help our spring, summer and fall especially.”

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State

BY HANNAH NORTON

Texas to phase out STAAR, launch 3 new exams in 2027

Beginning in fall 2027, third- through 12th-grade students will take three shorter exams in lieu of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. The changes come after state lawmak- ers passed House Bill 8, a law phasing out the STAAR, in September. The overview Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, RSalado, said in September that the new law will reduce test-related anxiety and help educators track student growth throughout the year. Critics of the plan, including most Democratic lawmakers and a few Republicans, said they were concerned it would increase the amount of time students spend taking exams and result in “another STAAR test.” In the 2027-28 school year, school districts will be required to administer a beginning-of-year assessment in late August or September, a mid- year assessment in January or February, and an end-of-year assessment in May.

What to expect The Texas Education Agency will develop the three new exams. Lawmakers said educators will be allowed to continue administering third-party assessments in the beginning and middle of each year with TEA approval. All districts will be required to implement the state-developed end- of-year exam to measure year-over-year growth. Students’ scores will be released within 48 hours after each new test is administered. Currently, most students take the STAAR in April and receive their results in June, per the TEA. Questions from the new state-owned exams will be reviewed by Texas teachers and piloted in schools ahead of the 2027-28 school year. The TEA is required to release a plan for the rollout of the new exams by February 2027, which Buckley said will allow lawmakers to provide feedback and make adjustments to the testing system before it takes eect later that year.

“[HB 8] reforms our Texas assessment program ... creating greater transparency, oversight and, ultimately, predictability.” REP. BRAD BUCKLEY, RSALADO

"No parent has asked for this; no parent wants this. This bill was supposed to be [a] win for our public schools and for

our kids. This is no win." REP. GINA HINOJOSA, DAUSTIN

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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

Community

BY SIENNA WIGHT

Dripping Springs city ocials, along with the Dripping Springs Art League, held an unveiling event for Phase 2 of the “Stars of Dripping Springs” public art project Oct. 8. Inspired by the city’s status as an International Dark Sky Community, six stars were installed on Mercer Street last December. This time, 10 artists were selected to expand upon the project. One of the artists for Phase 2 was Jessie Bostad. Inspired by her own ancestors and by the native people of the area, Bostad painted a cascading waterfall called “The Sacred Waters of Hamilton Pool.” “As a community, I hope this serves as a reminder to protect our sacred waters because this place wouldn’t be the same without them,” Bostad said about her star. What’s next Tourism manager Pam King says ocials expect all of the stars to be displayed by November. Dripping Springs unveils 10 new star statues

Where to ‘star gaze’ The newest installment of stars are located across town.

EVENT CENTER DR.

1 “Willie’s First Picnic” • Jenny Swannack

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• Veterans Memorial Park

2 “Pollinator’s Dream” • Jessie Woodhead

FOUNDERS MEMORIAL PARK

FOUNDERS PARK RD.

• Dripping Springs Sports & Recreation Park

SPORTSPLEX DR.

3 “The Sacred Waters of Hamilton Pool” • Jessie Bostad

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK

• Flying Fish Swim Academy

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4 “Walk Among the Stars” • Cathy Richardson • Dripping Springs City Hall

Dripping Springs

THE DRIPPING SPRINGS SPORTS AND RECREATION PARK

5 “Crafted in Community” • Rozmary Seastrom

• Deep Eddy Vodka Tasting Room

6 “Here Everything’s Better” • Melissa Richardson • H-E-B 7 Phase 1 • First 6 stars on Mercer Street

150

CHARRO RANCH PARK

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

8 "The In-Between" • Kyndall Womack • Charro Ranch Park

9 “Stacks of Belonging” • Tiffany Sierras • Founders Memorial Park

10 "Day & Night in the Hill Country" • Joe Christenson • Ally Medical Emergency Room

11 "Roping the Stars" • Erin Hounsel • Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center

“Startist” Melissa Richardson embraced her cousin after presenting her star, “Here Everything’s Better.”

SIENNA WIGHTCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Events

BY DACIA GARCIA

Blue Genie Art Bazaar The Austin holiday season staple is coming back to town with in-person and virtual shopping options where community members can check out original works perfect for holiday gift shopping while supporting local art.

Still Standing Comedy Festival Comedians will perform live standup with a mix of live music. Participating acts include Morgan Jay, Robby Hoffman, William Montgomery and more. • Nov. 8, 2 p.m. • $99 (general admission), $215 (VIP admission) • 8504 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.thefaroutaustin.com 2025 Ride to End Alzheimer’s Participants can ride routes between 13 and 100 miles to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association’s efforts in supporting Alzheimer’s research. • Nov. 8, 7:15 a.m. • Free (volunteer), $500 (fundraising minimum) • 7100 Creek Road, Dripping Springs • https://act.alz.org Autumn Walkabout 2025 Community members can see what The Yard has to offer while enjoying specials from local businesses. • Nov. 8, noon-5 p.m. • Free (admission) • 440 E. St. Elmo Road, Austin • Facebook: Autumn Walkabout 2025 Texas Book Festival Featuring over 300 authors, the festival will give community members an opportunity to experience presentations, panels, book signings, cooking demonstrations, kids programs, activities and more. • Nov. 8-9 • Free (admission) • Downtown Austin, near Texas State Capitol • www.texasbookfestival.org 2025 ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot Interested individuals can participate in the race in a variety of ways, including the timed or untimed 5-mile run, 1-mile walk/run or the kids’ 1K. The event will benefit nonprofit Caritas of Austin, which works toward preventing and ending homelessness in Austin

by providing homes and tailored services. • Nov. 27, 8:30 a.m. • $12 (kids’ 1K), $22 (1-mile walk/run), $25 (untimed 5-mile run), $30 (timed 5-mile run) • 701 W. Riverside Drive, Austin • www.thundercloud.com/turkeytrot

• Nov. 14-Dec. 24 • Free (admission) • 6100 Airport Blvd., Austin • www.bluegenieartbazaar.com

Veteran’s Day Dinner & Dance Hosted by Rotary Club of Dripping Springs, veterans and their families can enjoy a program honoring veterans with a catered dinner and live music. • Nov. 11, 5-9 p.m. • Free (admission) • 5330 Bell Springs Road, Dripping Springs • www.drippingspringsrotary.org Stronger Together: An Event for Military Families With Kids Ages 8-15 Military families can engage in activities and workshop sessions focused on creating trust, cooperation and joy. • Nov. 14, 5-8 p.m. • Free (admission) • 31 Patriots Hall Blvd., Dripping Springs • Eventbrite: Stronger Together: An Event for Military Families With Kids Ages 8-15 Central Texas Youth Ballet ‘The Nutcracker’ The youth ballet will present the holiday classic featuring Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the Sugar Plum

September

Tim Burton’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christ- mas’ Light Trail Attendees can enjoy an immersive experience through Halloween Town and Christmas Town. • Sept. 25-Nov. 30 • $31 (children admission), $41 (adult admission), $51 (flex entry admission) • 4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin • www.texasperformingarts.org/events

October

Austin Film Festival & Conference Attendees can enjoy watching feature films and short films as well as attend filmmaker Q&A’s. • Oct. 23-30 • $80+ • Locations vary • www.austinfilmfestival.com

Fairy and the Mouse King. • Nov. 22, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. • $10-$25 (admission) • 5901 Southwest Parkway, Austin • www.ctyballet.com

November

28th annual Empty Bowls Project The largest annual fundraiser for the Dripping Springs Helping Hands food pantry returns where attendees can pick a handmade ceramic bowl of soup. • Nov. 2, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. • $30 (admission, bowl and soup) • 1042 Event Center Drive, Dripping Springs • www.drippingspringsemptybowls.org

2025 ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot The race will benefit nonprofit Caritas of Austin. • Nov. 27, 8:30 a.m. • $12-$30 • 701 W. Riverside Drive, Austin • www.thundercloud.com/turkeytrot

SOUTHWEST AUSTIN - DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

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