Council eyes details of new maintenance facility included in Oracle land swap "City Council members are expected to bring some scrutiny today to the nearly completed land swap deal that will see tech giant Oracle America Inc. build a new central maintenance facility for the city in exchange for 9 acres of parkland." (Chad Swiatecki, Austin Monitor)
Endeavor plans another retail center in busy pocket of fast-growing Kyle "Endeavor and Long View Equity LLC broke ground in early November on the 11-acre project, called the Amberwood Ranch center, which has already attracted the likes of major businesses such as Texas Roadhouse, Crunch Fitness, Texas MedClinic, Brake Check and more." (Sahar Chmais, Austin Business Journal)
TxDOT to test smart technology for self-driving trucks on Texas 130 "This month, the Texas Department of Transportation announced it will create a smart freight corridor near Austin that could be used for self-driving trucks and other advanced vehicles on a 21-mile segment of Texas 130 between Texas 71 and Texas 45 North, including areas between Georgetown and Del Valle." (Kara Carlson, Austin American-Statesman)
More than two-thirds of Texas’ 30.3 million residents live in four largest metro areas "Texas added nearly 1.6 million people between 2020 and Jan. 1, with the Austin region — the state’s fastest-growing metro area with 7.2% growth — drawing in the most new residents, according to new population data by the Texas Demographic Center." (Karen Brooks Harper, Ayden Runnels, Texas Tribune via KUT 90.5)
NXP Semiconductors seeks state incentives for $291M Austin project "NXP USA Inc., a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based NXP (Nasdaq: NXPI), is pursuing a nomination from the city of Austin to seek designation under the Texas Enterprise Zone program. The state program would open the door for the company to receive state tax rebates for its upcoming investment into Central Texas' manufacturing economy. (Mike Christen, Austin Business Journal)
Council to Vote on HOME Amendments Increasing Housing Stock "If approved, HOME will allow up to three units on all single-family lots in the SF-1, -2, or -3 zoning categories; reduce the minimum lot size for duplexes; and limit the applicability of the city's 'McMansion Ordinance' to lots with only one home. Council is hoping the Land Development Code changes will incentivize the development of smaller housing units on smaller lots, which will likely reduce their costs." (Austin Sanders, Austin Chronicle)
Conservation groups turn from fight for air quality to water over proposed quarry "The legal battle over whether a rock quarry can move forward excavating materials near the Meyer Ranch and Vintage Oaks subdivisions in New Braunfels has ended, for now. In October, the Texas Supreme Court denied a request by the Preserve Our Hill Country Environment Foundation and affiliated organizations of Comal County residents to rehear their case against the Vulcan Materials Company-Comal Quarry’s aggregate materials air permit, located in what was formerly known as the 1,500-acre White Ranch." (Eric Weilbacher, Community Impact)
