Bastrop city officials will present a final draft of its upcoming Bastrop Development Code during a March 24 public hearing at the next Bastrop City Council meeting.

The new framework, which will replace the Bastrop Building Block, or B3, Code, is intended to better direct and manage the future growth, according to city documents.

What we know: Brittany Epling, a senior planner with the city of Bastrop, told Bastrop City Council during a Dec. 16 meeting the planned Bastrop Development Code will keep “the most important intentions” of the B3 Code and ensure that regulations are “clearer, simpler and more predictable to administer.”

“The Bastrop Development Code is intended to guide land use and development through clear standards and consistent procedures so that growth remains authentically Bastrop, fiscally and environmentally sustainable, and thoughtfully planned to meet future needs,” she said in a staff report.

The outlook: If council members give the Bastrop Development Code the green light during the March 24 meeting, a second reading will be held April 14, according to a city notice.

From an upcoming brunch spot to a new steakhouse and more, here are the latest business updates in the Bastrop-Cedar Creek area.

Faire la Nouba: Owners Rachael and Brian Tolbert opened the celebration store, bottle shop, and niche grocer.

• Opened Feb. 6
• 110 Main St., Smithville

• Opened Feb. 16
• Burleson Crossing East, 653 Hwy. 71 W., Bastrop

• Opened Feb. 4
• Inside H-E-B, 104 Hasler Blvd., Bastrop

Texas attracts dozens of company headquarters to the state annually, with at least 314 businesses moving their main office to Texas from other states between 2015-2024, data from the governor’s office shows.

Zooming in: At least 24 companies moved their headquarters to Texas in 2024, with more than half landing in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Two companies relocated from other countries, with data center developer Hive Digital Technologies bringing its home base from Canada to San Antonio and pharmaceutical company IntraBio Inc. moving its headquarters from the United Kingdom to Austin.

How we got here: State officials and experts said Texas’ economic incentives and light regulatory environment are key reasons why companies brought their operations to the state in recent years.

“Texas wants companies to move here, and [company leaders] know that,” Megan Mauro, interim president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business, told Community Impact. “Our legislative policy is really impacted by the voices of employers here.”