The Austin Transit Partnership continues to seek new office space for its growing workforce as its Austin Light Rail development ramps up.

A final decision on the transit planning organization's next home is now expected as ATP considers its next budget in September, months after officials declined to approve a $32 million luxury office lease downtown amid opposition from Mayor Kirk Watson.

ATP and its partners are working to complete initial plans for the light rail network, train cars and system maintenance facilities before officially starting construction in 2027. The organization is outgrowing its current 32,000-square-foot office at 203 Colorado St., officials said, and are planning for a new home before its lease for that space ends.

As the search continues, some ATP board members said the process must give greater consideration to project risks and taxpayer impacts. A decision on new offices could come in September alongside a vote on ATP's next budget.

Local Foods is launching its second restaurant in Austin on Aug. 21, according to a news release.

Some details: The new location will serve lunch, dinner, cocktails and coffee—with weekend brunch debuting in September. The brand’s latest expansion comes four years after Local Foods opened its first Austin location in the 2nd Street District. The company is led by owners Martin Berson, Benjy Levit and Dylan Murray.

Local Foods uses ingredients from Texas farmers and producers, including eggs from Swift Hill Farms and beef from Peeler Farms.

"Working with Texas farmers and producers allows us to create menus that evolve with the seasons while staying true to the dishes our guests know and love,” Zack Sutton, executive chef of Local Foods Austin, said in a news release. “This new restaurant gives us the opportunity to expand that vision even further with more dinner offerings, new seasonal dishes and a space where people can gather morning, noon and night."

• 3800 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 170, Austin

The Texas House State Affairs Committee heard from power grid officials; data center developers and industry representatives; local government officials; cybersecurity experts; landowners and residents during an Aug. 19 hearing on the growth of data centers.

The details: Some Texans expressed concerns that data center development is happening too quickly and communities do not have enough say in that growth.

"The question is always going to be who pays for this infrastructure as we continue to grow," San Marcos City Council Member Amanda Rodriquez said.

Data center developers, meanwhile, emphasized that they wanted to be “teammates and partners” to residents of the communities they build in.

One more thing: Testimony on data centers was limited to six hours as the committee began discussing plans to build large high-voltage transmission lines from East to West Texas.

"I don't want anybody to think this is our last time that we're going to talk about data centers, or that you’re not going to get another opportunity to talk about data centers," committee chair Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, said.