Round Rock City Council Packet Briefing - January 20, 2026
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Round Rock City Council Packet Briefing - January 20, 2026
The Round Rock City Council held a packet briefing on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 7:30 AM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included citizen communication, discussions on multiple resolutions and ordinances for the upcoming January 22 City Council meeting, and a presentation on the annual Economic Development Compliance Report.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Gary Eldon spoke on two agenda items. He expressed concerns about the rezoning application for 1000 South IH-35 (Arico Mechanical property), citing lack of site plan, applicant's history of regulatory violations (TCEQ fines, unauthorized tree removal), and suggesting the proposed PUD is inappropriate. He also opposed the future land use map amendment and rezoning for a parcel at the entrance to Old Settlers Park, arguing that open space is already dwindling and that a hotel development would further harm the park.
Discussion Items
- F2 – Regional Vehicle Burglary Suppression Task Force Interlocal Agreement: Chief Tom presented a resolution to formalize an interlocal agreement with Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander, Pflugerville, and Williamson County. Councilmember Montgomery asked for clarification on “aggressively,” and Mayor Pro Tem Stevens inquired about the regional nature of vehicle burglaries. Staff explained that suspects often operate along the I-35 corridor from Houston and that the task force would share resources and personnel.
- F3 & F4 – Vehicle Purchase Agreements with Caldwell Country Chevrolet and Ford: Chad presented resolutions authorizing additional vehicle purchasing mechanisms. Councilmember Flores asked about supply chain delays and the city's fleet mix (primarily Ford, with some Chevy Tahoes for police). Staff noted ongoing backlogs due to upfitting challenges.
- F5 – Real Estate Purchase Contracts with Nelson Homestead Family Partnership: Michael presented resolutions for two parcels (6.8 acres and 20.5 acres) needed for the County Road 112 project. The remaining balance is $1.6 million. The project is expected to finish in late 2026 or early 2027.
- F6 – Change Order No. 1 with Patent Construction for McNeil Road Project: Michael explained that $110,000 is needed for surveying and railroad inspection fees (Rail Pros) required by Union Pacific Railroad for culvert installation. Additional costs for Rail Pros are expected.
- F7 – Joint Election Agreement with Williamson County: Staff presented a resolution for the May 2, 2026 General and Special Elections, allowing Williamson County to conduct the election and share costs.
- F8 – Cost Participation Agreement with SDC Austin LLC for Bryant Drive: Jeff presented a resolution to have the developer construct a remaining gap in Bryant Drive between Double Creek and South AW Grimes, bridging portions built by the developer and the Encore substation.
- G1 & G2 – Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezoning for Old Settlers Association Property: Bradley presented two items for a 3.86-acre tract near East Palm Valley Boulevard and Harrell Parkway, currently owned by the Old Settlers Association. The request is to change the future land use map from open space to commercial and rezone from open space to C1A (General Commercial Limited), potentially for a hotel serving visitors to Old Settlers Park and the multipurpose complex. The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval. Councilmembers asked about the size of the association’s total holdings and building design standards.
- G3 – Planned Unit Development (PUD) Rezoning for Arico Mechanical (23.43 acres near McNeil Road): Bradley presented a PUD to rezone the property to Light Industrial, allowing Arico to expand their HVAC operations. The PUD includes enhanced buffers (25-foot landscape buffer, two rows of evergreen trees), restrictions on loading docks facing the residential neighborhood to the south, and lower lighting heights. Staff noted that unauthorized tree removal occurred but that the trees removed were mostly unprotected; mitigation will be handled during site development. The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval. Councilmembers asked about the site development permit process and future use restrictions.
- G4 – Ordinance Calling May 2, 2026 General and Special Election: Bradley presented the ordinance ordering elections for Mayor, Council Place 1, and Council Place 4, along with two charter amendments from citizen petitions. Councilmember Flores requested that the public be made aware that the petitions were initiated by a billboard company in coordination with a fire department. A fiscal note for the amendments is forthcoming.
- D1 – Economic Development Compliance Report: Staff presented an annual report on 24 active economic development agreements. All businesses are in compliance. Key metrics (as of September 30, 2025): 8,260 employees (excluding Dell), $1.5 billion in taxable property value (excluding Dell), $2.2 billion with Dell, net taxes collected (excluding Dell) of $137 million (181% return), and with Dell, $660 million (211% return). Councilmember Ortega noted that incentives reduce the tax burden on residents.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken during the packet briefing; these items are scheduled for discussion and action at the January 22, 2026 City Council meeting.
- Staff will provide additional information requested by councilmembers (e.g., total acreage of Old Settlers Association property, larger map for context) at the January 22 meeting.
- The Economic Development Compliance Report will also be presented to the Transportation and Economic Development Board (Type B Board) on Thursday evening.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. I'll call 730 packet briefing order and please call the roll. Mayor Morgan. Here. Mayor Pro Tim Stevens. Here. Councilmember Lee. Here. Councilmember Flores? Here. Councilmember Fleming? Here. Councilmember Ortega? Here. Councilmember Montgomery. Here. All right. So this communication pursuant to text camera code section 551.007, which allows public speak for a total of three minutes on any of the agenda items list below, excluding executive sessions. Gary Eldon. Good morning. Morning. I'd uh like to ask you a couple of things this morning. The uh application for rezoning of 1000 uh South IH 35 with the Erical Mechanical property. Uh, I think it bears some additional due diligence before approval for a number of reasons. Uh one, there's no site plan submitted at this point, seems a little premature. The stated intended use for the properties expand warehouse operations and so forth. It would seem that uh simply rezoning the inaccessible single family uh parcel in question two, light industrial would allow the applicant to do that with uh without any further ado. So a PUD seems inappropriate uh for this rezoning. If anything, it seems like it's uh setting the property up for future use, perhaps as a data center. The applicant further has a history of uh circumventing process and procedure. They were fined in 2018 by at the maximum level by TCEQ for failing for developing uh a parking lot and staging area without uh first submitting a water pollution uh abatement plan to TCEQ, and at that same violation or same notice, they were fined for uh not containing a petroleum spill on the parking lot. So they've prematurely done that, and more recently, they've removed protected trees from the property, piling them up against the neighbor's backyard uh prior to author authorization for removal of those trees. So that seems uh a questionable history and circumvention of the minimal requirements placed upon them already. So I just think it needs a little more due diligence uh before approval. It seems a very odd request versus other options they have readily available to them. Uh additionally, the matter that'll be coming before you to modify the future land use map and round route 2030 for parcel right at the entrance to Old Settlers Park from open space to commercial. Uh the open space that was once at Old Settlers Park is dwindling rapidly in favor of sports and entertainment venues. Uh giving more of it up to commercial uses is seems a horrible misuse of that space. And of course, subsequent to the request for modifying the flum and round right 2030 is a request to rezone to commercial to allow for building an extended stay hotel effectively inside old settlers park. Please, please don't do further harm to the park than has already been done. Thank you. Be happy to answer any questions. Questions okay, thank y'all. Thank you chief. F two can say a resolution authorized Mayor Day Scout interlocal agreement with Huddle Cedar Park, Georgetown Leander, Flugaville and Williamson County. I know. How's it going? Good morning, Mayor and Council. How are you? Morning.
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