ATX-NCA: Impact 10/2/2025

Thousands of music fans will gather at Zilker Park for the Austin City Limits Music Festival, taking place Oct. 3-5 and Oct. 10-12.

What you need to know: Zilker Park is closed to public access Sept. 22-Oct. 19, with road closures nearby. Expect lane reductions or full closures on Stratford Drive, Barton Springs Road, Jessie Street, Azie Morton Road, Stephen F. Austin Drive, Veterans Drive, Rollingwood Drive, and eastbound Bee Cave Road. Limited or shuttle-only access will also be in effect on streets near the park.

The city’s transportation and public works department has an interactive street closure map to view road closure and lane reduction schedules. Parking will be restricted, with several Zilker lots closed through Oct. 19. Limited parking is available at Butler Shores, Riverside Drive, Veterans Drive, and Polo Field. Heavy congestion is expected near MoPac.

What else? Cyclists should anticipate dense pedestrian traffic. Barton Creek Greenbelt, Butler Hike and Bike Trail, and Barton Springs Pool—south gate only—remain open.

Central Health is preparing to break ground on a new health and wellness center in Northeast Austin in 2026.

Colony Park Health & Wellness Center will be located at the Colony Park Sustainable Community. The 200-acre planned development will include up to 3,000 residencies, including income-restricted housing, alongside office and retail spaces and infrastructure improvements.

The details: The $37 million Central Health center, spanning 32,000 square feet, will offer:

• adult primary care
• dental services
• lab services
• pharmacy with a drive-thru
• community rooms
• wellness programs
• eligibility and enrollment services

• 6420 Helen Miller View, Austin

Austin City Council backed Applied Materials’ request for federal trade relief under foreign trade zone, or FTZ, designation at its local facilities. That program can reduce the impact of federal import and export fees, which the company says will help it remain competitive.

The details: Applied Materials, which has a broad Austin manufacturing presence, joins other area companies like Samsung and Flex already using the trade zone program. Interest in FTZs has surged following federal tariff adjustments this year, with Austin officials supporting applications from Applied Materials' and Venkel Ltd. in the past few months. 

While FTZs may save companies money and free up resources, the application process has slowed due to high demand and greater federal scrutiny.

Travis County has approved a $2.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-26, about 12% higher than last year’s.

The big picture: The plan includes a one-year property tax hike to help the county recover from July’s severe flooding, which drained $15 million in emergency reserves for debris cleanup and temporary road repairs. The temporary increase—roughly 3 cents more per $100 of property value—will raise about $42 million for disaster recovery, adding about $200 to the average homeowner’s tax bill, with $72 tied directly to flood costs.

What else? Beyond core services like public safety and infrastructure, the budget highlights major justice and health initiatives. That includes $86 million to launch a future mental health jail diversion center, designed to redirect people with mental illness or substance abuse disorders away from jail.

Central Health also received a 9.3% funding boost to expand primary, specialty, and behavioral care for low-income residents, with officials pledging shorter wait times and broader access under what they’ve called the “year of access.”