Representatives and affiliates with Capland Development and Toll Brothers presented plans for the 362-acre Patience Ranch subdivision at a July 14 Georgetown City Council workshop.

About the project: The property for the proposed development is located in Georgetown’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, east of Garey Park and north of the Escalera neighborhood.

Plans include developing the current private cattle ranch into a neighborhood with 535 single-family homes, with lots ranging from 60-100 feet. Assistant City Manager Nick Woolery said the development will provide the “executive-level housing options” that council has been requesting.

Something to note: The development partners are requesting a municipal utility district agreement that would set a maximum tax rate of $0.95 per $100 of assessed value. The purpose of a MUD is to help a development pay for amenities and infrastructure improvements, according to city documents.

Woolery said although staff set a maximum MUD tax rate for developments in the ETJ, council members can establish a different rate through the development agreement.

Several businesses are moving into the Williams Drive and Hwy. 29 corridor, including an outdoor pickleball facility, a trading card business and a salon.

PickleTex
The facility has nine shaded outdoor pickleball courts, general manager Melissa Rubey said. The business offers court reservations, open play, clinics and coaching as well as a membership program.

• Opened June 29
• 6827 W. Hwy. 29, Georgetown

• Opening Aug. 18
• 3629 Williams Drive, Ste. 101, Georgetown

• Opening in October
• 3701 Hwy. 29, Bldg. 18, Ste. 18102, Georgetown

Williamson County’s gross domestic product is up about $8 billion since 2022, making it the 90th largest global economy, officials said.

Dave Porter, executive director of the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership, presented an economic update and the organization’s five-year strategic plan to commissioners July 21.

By the numbers: This year, the county’s GDP reached $44.6 billion, up from $36 billion in 2022. Job growth rate stands at 2.5%, and the median household income is $111,340 for WilCo residents.

Looking ahead: The EDP’s newly finalized five-year strategic plan aims to encourage local employment with a “Live Here, Work Here” initiative. With a workforce of 435,000, over 202,000 residents currently commute outside the county for work daily, primarily to Travis County.

One more thing: Porter will retire as executive director at the end of December, and the EDP board of directors is now accepting applications for the position.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro. 

Upcoming projects

Austin Light Rail vehicle design to advance under $39M contract with Stadler: Switzerland-based Stadler has been selected to deliver the train cars for Austin Light Rail, the third and final major vendor brought on for the project's first stages this year. Officials with the Austin Transit Partnership advanced a $39 million contract with Stadler to design the fully electric vehicles July 15.

Ongoing projects

North-south route coming to Round Rock’s west side: Residents on Round Rock’s west side will soon have a true alternative to I-35 once the city and county complete the full extension of Wyoming Springs Drive, officials said in June. Ongoing and future road projects are set to help drivers and pedestrians reach their destinations faster and with less traffic.

Completed projects

New bridge over Onion Creek opens in Buda, increasing city access: The bridge will provide community members and first responders a faster route to travel in the city, connecting Cole Springs Road with FM 2770.

Texas’ power grid operator and regulator have laid out their plans to regulate data centers that connect to the state grid and ensure data center companies, not residents, pay for the industry’s growth.

What's happening: To shield Texans from the negative impacts of data center growth, the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas are:

• Prohibiting data centers from taking existing power resources off the grid
• Launching a new process to evaluate large projects looking to connect to the grid
• Creating standards that large consumers must meet before joining the grid
• Developing incentives for large consumers to reduce their energy use ahead of a grid emergency
• Requiring large companies to pay for the grid infrastructure needed to serve them
• Improving ERCOT’s process for projecting future demand