Hays County seeks input on first development regulation update since 2010
Hays County officials plan to update the county’s development regulations for the first time since 2010, according to a news release. To help guide them, officials are seeking community input on topics such as:
Water availability and quality
Erosion control
Floodplain management
Environmental protection and transportation infrastructure
The details: There will be open house-style meetings throughout the county on Sept. 2 in the following locations, including:
Dripping Springs Ranch Park, 1042 Event Center Drive, Dripping Springs, 2-3:30 p.m.
Wimberley Community Center, 14068 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley, 2-3:30 p.m.
City of Buda Multipurpose Room, 405 E. Loop St., Bldg. 100, Buda, 7-8:30 p.m.
San Marcos Library, Room A-104, 625 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos, 7-8:30 p.m.
Quote of note:“This is a vital process in revision,” said Marcus Pacheco, Hays County development services director, in the release. “We want the community involved, not just during this initial stage but throughout the project."
Kandice Boutté joined Hays County in July as its first county administrator.
What we know: In Texas, a county administrator oversees the daily operations of the government, including:
Departmental coordination
Policy implementation
Budget preparation
Long-range planning
Staff supervision
The background: Boutté—who holds a master’s degree in public administration from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia—most recently served as the chief of staff to the Tarrant County administrator.
What they're saying: “We’re thrilled to welcome Ms. Boutté to Hays County,” Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said in a statement. “Her extensive background in public service and leadership will be a tremendous asset as we continue to modernize operations and ensure accountability to the residents we serve.”
Gov. Abbott signs new congressional map; Texas Democrats vow to fight in court
Gov. Greg Abbott signed Texas’ new congressional map into law Aug. 29, declaring in a video posted to social media that “Texas is now more red in the United States Congress.”
The details: Under Texas’ current congressional boundaries, Republicans hold 25 of Texas’ 38 congressional seats. State lawmakers have said the new map will help them gain up to five more during the 2026 midterm elections.
Texas Democrats have called the mid-decade redistricting effort unconstitutional and "racially discriminatory," while Republicans asserted that the map "complies with the law" and was designed to help more Republicans get elected to the U.S. House.
Next steps: Texas’ new congressional map is set to take effect in early December, although it will be discussed in court two months earlier. After state senators approved the map Aug. 23, the League of United Latin American Citizens and a group of Texas residents filed a lawsuit asking that the map be found unconstitutional.
A panel of three federal judges will hear arguments in the case Oct. 1-10 in El Paso.
