Cedar Park officials approved the city’s new Transportation Criteria Manual on Feb. 12, a document that outlines guidelines and requirements for future transportation projects.

The details: "Transportation in the city of Cedar Park is a vital component of public health, safety and welfare because the system of streets, sidewalks and other accessways allows people to safely move about the city," the document states.

The manual is the city’s playbook for how roads and transportation projects should be planned and built, according to city documents. It lays out clear steps for reviewing and approving street, sidewalk and development work so everything connects properly and follows city rules as the community grows. Additionally, the document outlined the city's prioritization of multimodal mobility by detailing requirements for pedestrian refuge islands, Americans with Disabilities-compliant curb ramps and shared-use paths.

Of note: This marks the first set of transportation regulations to be developed by the city of Cedar Park.

Looking for something to do March 20-April 20? Check out these Cedar Park events, including a free prom shop for Leander ISD students, the annual kite festival and an Earth Day celebration. 

10th Annual Cedar Park Kite Festival: Angie ATX Realtor and the Cedar Park Parks and Recreation are collaborating to host the annual Cedar Park Kite Festival. Community members can gather at Lakeline Park to fly kites amongst fellow community members and festival attendees.

• March 28, 3-7 p.m.
  Free (admission) 
  1510 Alexis Drive, Cedar Park

• March 28, 5-9 p.m.
• Starting at $34.99 (admission)
• 16107 FM 2769, Ste. D, Leander

• April 11, 10-5 p.m.
• Free (admission)
• 1901 Sun Chase Blvd., Cedar Park

Austin leaders are looking to adjust the city's approach to creating new affordable housing, both in response to a new state law limiting some local affordability programs and to focus more on lower-income earners.

The details: Austin has used hundreds of millions of bond dollars to support new development with apartments or homes reserved for those earning a percentage of the MFI. The city also has several incentive programs that allow private developers to build larger residential projects if a share of the new housing units are income-restricted, typically capped at 60% to 80% MFI.

However, last year's Senate Bill 840 is affecting how some of those programs function while the local MFI has sharply increased for years, leading to more competition for affordable units and less housing set aside specifically for the lowest income levels.

What's next: City officials will continue to review new regulations and policy options over the coming months.