A new housing development is coming to Leander near the Bar W Ranch and Larkspur neighborhoods.

The project will be located along CR 267, just south of Equine Road.

The big picture: Leander City Council approved the annexation of the property, known as the Alexander Tract, and a zoning change that will allow the project to move forward at its April 2 meeting.

Zooming in: The neighborhood will be built by Pulte Homes.

Of the 191 homes in the development, 108 will be built on 50-foot lots, and 83 will be built on 60-foot lots, according to plans for the site.

One more thing: The motion to change the property's zoning passed 5-2. Council members Natomi Blair and Annette Sponseller voted against it.

At the March 19 City Council meeting, both Blair and Sponseller expressed concerns about strain on the city's water infrastructure.

A new Willie’s Grill & Icehouse is now open in Leander, serving Texas-inspired dishes and refreshing beverages. 

What’s on the menu: Willie’s Grill & Icehouse brings together the best of Texas cuisine, according to its website, including southern cajun dishes, Tex-Mex and burgers made in-house.
The menu includes comfort food like chicken fried steak, onion rings and fried pickles. Willie’s also serves up loaded fries, salads, seafood boils and sandwiches.

Looking for a libation? To beat the Texas heat, patrons can also grab one of the many frozen beverages on the menu, including a beerita or the frozen Jack and Coke. Following the icehouse tradition, Willie’s also has an array of cold beers.

Learn more: The Houston-based restaurant also has locations in Kyle, Pflugerville, College Station and Georgetown.

• 1412 Bright Lane, Leander

Check out the latest upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects around the Austin metro.

Ongoing projects
Oak Knoll Flood Risk Reduction
Project: The project will improve the storm drain system in part of the Oak Knoll neighborhood to reduce the risk of flooding. 
Update: According to Austin Capital Delivery Services, crews will next install storm drains along Woodcrest Drive and Columbia Oaks Court, during which time a 24-hour flagger station on Columbia Oaks Drive and J. Gregg Cove will be set up to control traffic.

• Timeline: 2025-27

• Cost: $9 million

• Funding source: city of Austin 2018 bond

Completed projects 
CARTS boosts metro-bound Bastrop County routes to cut traffic, emissions
Bastrop County commuters gained new transit options March 2 with the launch of two regional bus routes culminating in downtown Austin: one connecting Bastrop and Smithville, and the other connecting Georgetown and Round Rock. Riders can park at CARTS Park & Ride locations and take coach buses into Austin, offering an alternative to driving and downtown parking.

Child care scholarships, after-school care and other efforts are underway to grow a voter-approved initiative to provide more affordable child care for low-income families in Travis County.

The big picture: In 2024, voters approved increasing the county's tax rate to generate $75 million for Raising Travis County. So far, the county has awarded more than $28 million to the Workforce Solutions Capital Area nonprofit, local school districts and other community organizations.

An additional $17 million in child care contracts is set to go before the Travis County Commissioner Court for approval.

Current situation: The county has awarded $17.34 million to Workforce Solutions Capital Area to cover 1,000 child care scholarships annually for children up to 3 years old. The organization has also received $4.16 million for quality improvements, including teacher raises or curriculum, Meunier said.

Looking ahead: Travis County is seeking to offer contracted slots by paying child care providers to reserve seats for low-income families. The county also plans to assist providers in offering child care during nontraditional working hours.