ATX-RRK: Impact 11/4/2025

Downtown Round Rock could reach new heights after council approved taller buildings along major corridors such as I-35, Round Rock Avenue, and Mays and Georgetown streets.

The setup: Changes to Round Rock’s zoning, approved in October, expand the downtown boundaries, increase the density allowed on Mays Street and Round Rock Avenue, and permit taller buildings. The taller building heights are allowed through a mixed-use designation, said Brad Dushkin, the city’s director of planning and development services.

“We’re really trying to have a targeted, very thoughtful approach to where that added density is going to go,” Dushkin said.

Taller building heights allow for developers to create greater density, he said, bringing more foot traffic to support existing and future customer-facing businesses.

The conditions: The city’s 2030 comprehensive plan outlines a goal to revitalize the downtown area into a destination that is pedestrian friendly.

City Manager Brooks Bennett said the city has achieved several aspects of the plan, such as expanding parking and adding sidewalks.

A San Antonio-based car wash company is expanding into Central Texas with a new Round Rock location.

What we know: Bubble Bath Carwash is planning a new 4,000-square-foot tunnel wash on CR 110 in Round Rock, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Construction is expected to begin December 2025, though company officials said the opening timeline is still being finalized.

“Bubble Bath Carwash is excited to share that we are in the early stages of developing a new location in Round Rock, TX,” said Aisha Jefferson, QuikTrip’s corporate communications manager.

Founded in 2008 in San Antonio’s Medical Center area, Bubble Bath has grown to multiple locations across South Texas and, in 2023, became part of QuikTrip Corporation, the convenience store and gasoline company.

About 10% of Williamson County’s 451,219 registered voters cast their ballots during early voting Oct. 20-31, according to the county’s unofficial voting totals.

The breakdown: The 43,961 voters who cast their ballots at early voting locations and by mail make up 9.74% of the county’s registered voters. The majority of residents voted on the last day of early voting, with 9,943 voters casting their ballots Oct. 31.

At the polls: Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Registered Williamson County voters can cast their ballot at any polling place in the county from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Millions of Texans may see delays in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits beginning Nov. 1, as the federal government shutdown reaches the one-month mark.

The latest: The federal food assistance program is set to run out of funding in November, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Two federal judges ruled Oct. 31 that the Trump Administration must use federal contingency funds, which are stockpiled for emergency expenses, to fund SNAP in November, although the next steps surrounding SNAP benefits were unclear as of press time.

The local impact: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks.

“People are at risk of going hungry if the government doesn't reopen and SNAP benefits are delayed. … These are already vulnerable Texans,” Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said in an Oct. 27 interview.

Food banks across the state Texas food banks previously expanded their operations to meet increased demand as thousands of federal workers go without paychecks during the shutdown.

Election Day is Nov. 4. Polling places across Texas will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., according to the secretary of state’s office.

The overview: Voters in the following counties can vote at any polling place within their county of residence through the countywide voting program: Bastrop, Bexar, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Fort Bend, Galveston, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Tarrant, Travis and Williamson. Registered voters in other counties are required to visit a polling place specific to their voting precinct.

On the ballot: Texas voters will decide on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution during the Nov. 4 election. Each proposition was approved by at least two-thirds of state lawmakers this spring before being placed on the ballot.

Voters in various communities across the state may also see local propositions and races on their ballots, including a 20% tax rate increase in Austin, a congressional race in Harris County and a state Senate race in Tarrant County.

Learn more: To get to know the propositions and candidates on your local ballot, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.