With Hays County’s population on the rise, several major projects are moving forward, including a Texas State campus hotel, a new county services building in Kyle, retail developments in Buda and Kyle, and a remodel of San Marcos Fire Station No. 3.

Texas State University System Board of Regents approve hotel on San Marcos campus: The Texas State University System Board of Regents recently voted to authorize Texas State University to enter into a development agreement with Midway—a private Houston-based developer—to build a hotel on its San Marcos campus.

$4.13M Eastside Campus to bring county services to Kyle: Kyle residents may soon gain easier access to Hays County services, as the construction of a new administrative building is making progress.

New Kyle development breaks ground, set to create 200 jobs: A new retail development—named Kyle City Limits—broke ground at 3933 Kyle Crossing on Oct 1. The project is being developed in two phases by property owner Joseph Phillips—whose family has owned it since 1993.

Kyle Public Library will be temporarily closed Jan. 2-17 while officials work to give it a new look.

In a nutshell: The renovations will be isolated to inside the library, with work including new paint, carpeting and more. In a news release, officials said the decision for renovations was made "to keep our space welcoming, comfortable and ready for the community’s next chapter."

"These improvements will bring ... an overall refreshed look to the building our community has grown to love since it opened in 2012," officials said.

Something to note: While the library is closed, the Kyle Mobile Library will set up in the building’s back parking lot on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can browse a rotating selection of checkout materials and still get help with library card services.  

• 550 Scott St., Kyle

Central Texas counties could begin receiving up to $1.25 million each in state funding for flood warning sirens in the coming weeks and months, officials announced Dec. 16.

The overview: The funding comes less than six months after historic flooding hit parts of Central and West Texas over the July 4 weekend, killing at least 137 residents and visitors. During special legislative sessions this summer, state lawmakers approved requirements that 30 counties included in a July disaster declaration install flood warning systems with the help of $50 million in state grants.

Zooming in: Each county is expected to receive up to $1.25 million from the Texas Water Development Board. Counties seeking more money will need their requests approved by the three-member board.

One more thing: Counties are required to submit detailed project plans to the TWDB and can use the grants to install physical infrastructure such as sirens, rain gauges, flood gauges and solar panels to power the warning systems. The money can also be used for local flood education, outreach and training programs, TWDB staff said.