Williamson County Passes Development Regulations

The booming growth in Williamson County has pushed local leaders to implement guardrails for development in the jurisdiction known for its business-friendliness.

Commissioners in Williamson, just north of Austin, voted to approve changes to its subdivision regulations on March 4, the Austin Business Journal reported. The amendments were originally proposed in November to the dismay of developers, but the final result is a compromise both parties say they’re happy with.

The changes are aimed at improving infrastructure planning and water availability to position the county for further growth, commissioners said. New rules will require traffic impact and turn lane analyses for larger developments — those which would yield more than 2,000 car trips a day — and mandate that builders secure water service commitments from utilities and suppliers before final plat approval.

County officials and developers spent months hashing out a compromise, clocking more than 200 hours in 16 meetings with 70 different stakeholders since the changes were proposed last year.

The stipulation that the traffic impact study won’t be required for smaller developments was touted as a key concession. The changes will also open up access to county flood plain data for developers and clarify the county’s position on municipal utility districts and maintenance.

Home Builders Association of Greater Austin Senior Director of Government Affairs David Glenn called the final result a “collaborative effort” and praised the county for being receptive to industry concerns.

“It was great to see an environment of collaboration, and I’m happy where it landed,” he said.

Williamson County’s population increased almost 15 percent from 2020 to 2023 — the population of its county seat, Georgetown, jumped about 40 percent in that same period, from 47,400 to 67,176, according to Census data.

Recent projects have further fueled the growth, including Samsung’s Taylor factory and Apple’s campus. Capland Development’s Gateway at Hutto project is slated to bring the county 730 multifamily units, 125 townhomes and 285 single-family homes. Green Brick Partners is also developing a 343-acre residential community that could bring as many as 1,500 homes.

A 2023 Georgetown report found the city will need to find an alternate water source by 2030 or it will face supply shortages as the central Texas region booms and competition for water access skyrockets. Currently, the city pulls from the Brazos River and local Edwards aquifer groundwater, which also supplies San Antonio, Uvalde, New Braunfels and San Marcos.

— Judah Duke