Pflugerville City Council approved two new governing entities for the city's Downtown East project—one overseeing the entire 29-acre district and another managing the shared Recreation Center and retail building known as The Monarch.

The big picture: City Council approved the creation of Downtown East Commercial Community, a property owners association responsible for shared infrastructure, open spaces and long-term development standards across the entire site.

Officials also approved a commercial condominium for one parcel of the land, establishing two ownership units inside The Monarch building—one for the city’s new Recreation Center and one for the attached retail space.

City officials state that these structures provide a framework for assigning responsibilities, defining ownership boundaries and coordinating future public and private development within Downtown East.

Hutto Nutrition is now open within Michael Poster’s Affordable Storage.

The gist: The new shop serves smoothies, tea, protein donuts and waffles, and pre-workout and post-workout supplements. Owner Gabby Carreon said the shop offers a variety of “healthier options for everyone.”

Customers will also find shakes with flavors like strawberry banana and Oreo cheesecake.

• Opened Sept. 11

Central Texas Neurology Consultants held a ribbon cutting in November to mark a renovation to the clinic, accompanied by an expansion to its existing care offerings.

What you need to know: The clinic announced in November that along with a renovation, a partnership with Nira Medical led to an expansion of care offerings to include multiple sclerosis. A representative of the clinic said the renovation added new exam rooms, a larger infusion center and a suite dedicated to clinical research.

This comes as the clinic has experienced a 30% increase in patient volume, the spokesperson said.

Texas State University will purchase a 128 acre tract of property in San Marcos as part of a conservation effort around Sink Creek.

What you need to know: The Texas State University System Board of Regents approved the land purchase for $4.5 million Nov. 20, allowing the university to take ownership of an ecologically sensitive area and continue efforts to preserve it. Acquiring the property is part of a commitment to environmental stewardship on behalf of Texas State University, per a release shared by the system.

The details: The property is located northeast of Spring Lake and Spring Meadows, adjacent to the Spring Lake Natural Area, a city of San Marcos-owned park protected for several environmental features. 

What they're saying: Being located within the Sink Creek Watershed provides an opportunity for students to further study local ecology, said Robert Mace, director of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment.