As part of the company’s plans to expand westward, ALDI opened its Cedar Park location April 2. The storefront marks the grocer’s first location in the city.

"As more people look for better ways to stretch their dollar further, we’re excited to bring quality groceries at the lowest possible prices to Cedar Park,” Scott Huska, regional vice president for ALDI, said in a statement.

What they offer: The store offers a range of products, including organic meat, produce, seafood, cheese and wine. Around 90% of offerings at ALDI are exclusive brands, according to a news release.

Of note: The concept also features unique cart and bagging systems intended to help shoppers save money. When visitors go to grab a cart, they insert a quarter, which they can collect upon returning the cart. This cart format allows employees to focus on tasks inside the store, the release states. ALDI also relies solely on self-bagging, allowing the brand to reduce costs and return savings to customers.

• 850 N. Bell Blvd., Ste. 210, Cedar Park

The city of Leander will build a new disc golf course at Devine Lake Park in partnership with the nonprofit Hill Country Hyzers Disc Golf Club, approving an updated agreement with the nonprofit March 19.

Zooming in: The city currently operates an existing disc golf course at Benbrook Ranch Park in partnership with the Hill Country Hyzers. However, the Benbrook Ranch Park will be disrupted by construction of the North Brushy Creek Interceptor—a project to improve water and wastewater infrastructure in the area—according to city documents. The new “beginner-friendly” course at Devine Lake Park will allow players to continue to play disc golf in Leander while that construction is underway.

“This location will serve as a permanent secondary course within the park system and provide an accessible option for new players and families,” the documents state.

Funding the project: The city estimates the Devine Lake Park course will cost about $20,000. The city has not yet provided a timeline for the opening of the new course.

City Council took the first step toward broadening the types of multiunit housing that can be built in Austin neighborhoods and allowing more mixed-use development citywide.

The details: New zoning categories advanced March 26 included one to support more multiunit “missing middle” housing at scales in between single-family homes and bigger apartment complexes. Another is aimed at transit- and pedestrian-oriented developments blending residential and commercial space, from smaller corner stores to larger mixed-use buildings.

Specific details for the two concepts forwarded in a resolution from council member Paige Ellis are still to be determined. Her approved resolution builds on a January study by city planners that evaluated Austin’s current stock of missing middle and mixed-use development and laid out policy recommendations to expand those options.

Next steps: This spring’s vote is just the first step toward creating the zoning categories and eventually seeing development take place under the policies. The city will spend the next year drafting the zoning districts.

In the nine months until Texas’ 90th legislative session begins in January, state lawmakers are expected to hold information-gathering hearings on hundreds of topics that will lay the groundwork for next year’s policymaking.

During a March 27 legislative summit in New Braunfels, four longtime lawmakers shared some of their top priorities for next year.

What they're saying: The legislators said they were focused on furthering some projects from previous legislative cycles, including water preservation initiatives and a new education savings account program.

More details: They said they also intend to study data center operations and how the large facilities impact local water supplies, noting that the legislature will work with local officials to determine how much data center regulation should happen locally and when the state should step in. 

“Does the state need to be involved? Yes,” Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, said. “Does local government need to have a say? Yes. But we’ve also got to remember, so does the private taxpayer. So we need to get a combination of all three.”