Bastrop is continuing the dissolution process of the Hunters Crossing Public Improvement District. 

The details: During a Dec. 9 meeting, Bastrop City Council approved a master transfer agreement between the Hunters Crossing Local Government Corporation, the Hunters Crossing Homeowners’ Association and the city of Bastrop. 

The agreement will transfer lots 16 and 30—which contain property, such as trails, green space, sports fields, a pool, a basketball court, other play areas, drainage pathways and detention ponds—from the Hunters Crossing Local Government Corporation to the city of Bastrop. 

What else? Bastrop will now be responsible for maintenance of these spaces, according to city documents. 

Developers have announced plans for a retail center in Adelton, marking a major step toward delivering the first shops and services for the mixed-use, master-planned community in Bastrop.

The details: The retail center, which will offer 11,985 square feet of total space, will begin construction in mid-2027, said Taylor Medlin, a spokesperson for Adelton developers Benchmark Austin.

Although leasing has not begun, Benchmark Austin envisions a mix of neighborhood-oriented businesses, including:

• A coffee shop
• A children’s education center
• A pizza restaurant

Check out the top-trending Community Impact stories Dec. 8-11. 

🗺 1. Dozens of Lake Austin properties move to disannex; city to lose nearly $300M value

🍽️ 2. Buffalo Wild Wings closes its doors in Cedar Park

🏘️ 3. New development to bring almost 400 homes to Georgetown

🏪 4. Kudos convenience store heads to Adelton in Bastrop

🚔️ 5. Local police coordination concerns arise for EISD following September incidents

🏢 6. $210M state library and archives building underway in Pflugerville

Texas has grown rapidly in recent years, and data indicate that development is not slowing down.

The impact: The Lone Star State gained about 168,000 jobs from September 2024 to September 2025, leading the nation in job growth, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

The overview: Texas is attractive to businesses looking to relocate or expand their operations due to its tax incentives and grants, lack of a personal income tax and roughly 200 higher education institutions, business leaders said during a Dec. 10 summit held in College Station by industry network YTexas.

As businesses of all sizes continue to move to Texas, local governments and associations also need to “support the ones that are already here,” said Dean Browell, the chief behavioral officer for Feedback, a digital ethnographic research firm.

Zooming in: In an October study, Feedback found that long-term Texas residents want to live in growing communities with strong education systems and plentiful job opportunities.

That growth, however, can lead to rising property taxes and living expenses before residents begin feeling the benefits, Browell said.