Discussions surrounding water conservation, availability and use by developments continue in Hays County as the Commissioners Court discussed the proposed creation of a division within the Development Services Department to review projects that require significant resources.

What happened: Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra placed an item on the court’s April 14 agenda to consider the creation of a High Intensity Development Review Division.

If approved, the item would have increased the responsibility of a current position within the Development Services Department to include evaluating developments that demand significant water, power, land or infrastructure systems, according to Becerra.

Another viewpoint: Precinct 4 Commissioner Walt Smith raised concerns about the county’s authority to review proposed high-usage developments differently from other projects. A similar concern was raised at a Feb. 24 meeting regarding a proposed moratorium on developments requiring large amounts of water.

Going forward: Following court discussion, the commissioners directed staff to work with the Development Services Department to make recommendations for how best to move the proposed review division forward.

San Marcos' options continue to evolve with the latest business updates, including new services and eateries, mall staples on the horizon and major retail closures.

Kuri Pet Resort (opened Mar. 19): Owner Robyn Leenaerts returned to her hometown with a 10,000-square-foot luxury dog and cat boarding, day care and grooming facility.

Perfume World (opened Mar. 15): Austin business owner Amin Hussain offers viral, designer and hard-to-find perfumes and colognes. Hussain also owns Royal Jewelers in the San Marcos Premium Outlets.

Slim Chickens (opened April 6): The eatery features fried and grilled chicken dishes with 14 sauce options at the former Zaxby’s Chicken Fingers & Buffalo Wings location, which closed in June 2025.

Sephora (opening in June): The popular beauty retailer offers a wide selection of makeup, skincare and haircare products, as well as fragrances.

Neiman Marcus Last Call (closing TBD): The outlet store will soon shut its doors following major closures by its parent company, Saks Global.

Eddie Bauer Outlet (closing TBD): The outerwear location will close after filing for bankruptcy.

From an airport expansion in Austin to a med spa renovation in New Braunfels and more, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Austin Bergstrom-International Airport ($60 million): Following the closure of the airport's south terminal, construction will start this summer on a six-gate southern terminal called Concourse M.

2. Texas Realtors ($2 million): A full remodel of the existing 23,847-square-foot building’s second floor will begin in late spring, along with the addition of a second-floor terrace.

3. Georgetown Logistics Park ($8.6 million): Construction is underway on a 39,200-square-foot facility.

4. Adoration Med Spa ($704,000): A former residence is being converted into a med spa. Renovations include removing the back deck, replacing windows and updating doors.

5. Kung Fu Tea–Bastrop: The specialty tea shop will fill a 1,500-square-foot space in the Burleson Crossing East shopping center.

The State Board of Education gave preliminary approval April 10 to roughly 200 literary works that all Texas public school students would be required to read beginning in 2030.

What happened: The SBOE trimmed about 100 titles from a list proposed by the Texas Education Agency, which board members and educators criticized as too long to be taught. The Republican-led board signed off on a revised list in a 9-5 party-line vote April 10.

The details: The draft list ranges from nursery rhymes and short stories in early grades to classical and 20th-century literature in high school. The list also includes about a dozen excerpts from the Bible. While students learn about world religions today, Texans testified that if the reading list is approved, it would be the first time in recent history that state leaders mandate religious readings in the classroom.  

Next steps: Board members are scheduled to take a final vote on the reading list in June. If approved, the list will be used in classrooms in the 2030-31 school year.