The Hays County Central Appraisal District, or Hays CAD, certifies the appraisal roll each year for a large number of taxing entities, allowing the county and local cities to establish tax rates and prepare budgets.

The district requested additional funding from its taxing entities to purchase land and construct an improved office. Municipalities in the district have been voting on the request, many of which have submitted denials.

What’s happening: As a result of increased protests filed since 2019, the district determined it needs to expand its workforce, and the current facility can not accommodate it. The total cost of the land purchase and new office project would not exceed $15 million.

For the project to pass, three-quarters of the taxing entities within Hays CAD’s purview must approve the funding contributions.

The discussion: Multiple cities in the region have voted against the project’s current proposal, including Austin, Kyle and Buda. The Hays County Commissioners Court voted against the item during a July 7 meeting as well. The San Marcos City Council approved the request.

A long-awaited new restaurant in Kyle, designed to offer a taste of nostalgia, has officially announced its opening date. Resurrected from an old Austin staple, A Little Shady is a new take on an old favorite.

Zooming in: The new spot is inspired by the iconic Shady Grove restaurant, founded in 1992 at 1624 Barton Springs Road in Austin. Shady Grove closed in May 2020, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

Looking ahead: A Little Shady will open Aug. 4 at 11 a.m., according to a Facebook post from the business. Rusty Zagst, co-owner of the former Shady Grove, has teamed up with David Ryan on the venture.

“We’re excited to finally be opening our first A Little Shady in Kyle,” Zagst said. "Our team has a passion for great food, genuine hospitality, and creating memorable experiences. We can't wait to share this special place with our longtime fans and new customers in Kyle and the surrounding communities."

A Burlington in Kyle, a Fairfield Inn in Bastrop and an AutoZone in Austin are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Burlington ($16.5 million): A new Burlington store is coming to the Kyle Park mixed-use development.

2. Fairfield Inn Staybridge Suites ($10 million): A new 121-key hotel is coming to Bastrop, with construction set to conclude in summer 2028.

3. Slaughter Lane Signal Improvements ($1.2 million): This project includes the installation of accessible pedestrian push-buttons, pedestrian signal poles, and renovation of curb ramps and adjacent sidewalks at 11 traffic signals on the Slaughter Lane corridor.

4. AutoZone ($1.1 million): A new AutoZone location is planned for Austin. The 6,446 square-foot auto parts store is set to begin construction in April.

5. Jersey Mike's ($250,000): A new Jersey Mike's is planned for Cedar Park. The 1,457-square-foot sandwich shop is expected to be completed in October.

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