From billboard violations to new restaurants, here are the top-read stories from across the Lake Travis-Westlake area in 2025.

1. Billboard on Bee Caves Road receives resident complaints, city violation notice
A billboard placed near the intersection of Bee Caves Road and River Hills Road has received a notice of violation from the city of Austin following local resident complaints.
As of Dec. 18, the city of Austin is taking legal action against the billboard with one of two potential upcoming court dates set for Jan. 7.

2. Dozens of Lake Austin properties move to disannex; city to lose nearly $300M value
A series of properties along Lake Austin totaling nearly $300 million in taxable value to the city are slated to exit its full jurisdiction under a new state law.

3. That’s My Jam to open dining, event space in Bee Cave
Randall and Suarta Mershon opened a new breakfast, lunch and event space within the Shops at The Galleria in August.

City Council members plan to set new guidelines for their offices' spending policies in early 2026.

The details: A proposal to enact a new set of financial accountability and transparency measures for council member spending was supported by all city officials this fall. Since then, Mayor Kirk Watson has led the effort to consolidate and clarify Austin's rules for officeholder expenses.

A draft framework released in December outlines allowable and prohibited expenses, and clarifies when spending like travel is permitted in the public interest. It also calls for internal oversight and regular public releases of council expense reports.

Council's financial committee will discuss the expanded policies in mid-January before adopting the new rules as soon as Jan. 22.

Austin is dedicating nearly $300,000 to support a joint regional food system plan with Travis County, the initiative's first city funding since officials signed off on it last fall.

What's happening: The Austin/Travis County Food Plan, created with input from hundreds of area residents, is meant to tackle challenges with food access and production through dozens of strategies related to land use, climate response and community initiatives. City Council authorized a $282,000 contract with Woollard Nichols Torres Consulting in December to implement the plan.

The city's nearly three-year consulting contract will support one piece of that work, the creation of an "implementation collaborative" involving residents and other groups working toward food system goals. The collaborative is kicking off early next year and also expected to receive county funding.

The regional food planning effort was established as nearly 1 in 5 Austin households face food insecurity, or a lack of access to healthy and affordable food. That estimate is higher than the national average, and comes as local and federal funding for food support is dwindling.