The move ensures Hutto retains its member status with the Central Texas Clean Air Coalition, allowing the city to work with the group to develop and adopt plans to keep the area in compliance with federal ground-level ozone standards.
"The Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area is now the largest metropolitan area in the state that is attaining all air quality levels… but we’re only narrowly attaining those standards," Andrew Hoekzema, director of Regional Services Capital Area Council of Governments, told council Thursday night.
The city of Hutto joined the coalition in 2014, per Helen Ramirez, assistant city manager of Hutto. Membership status is voluntary and does not mandate any specific clean air policies, according to the Central Texas Clean Air Coalition website.
"It gives us the flexibility to work with [our departments]… to understand what measures are good for Hutto," Ramirez said.
The vote was taken on the same night Keep Hutto Beautiful was announced as the affiliate of the month for the statewide environmental organization Keep Texas Beautiful.
NEW RETAIL DEVELOPMENT GETS GREEN LIGHT
Council approved three new blocks of retail space, totaling more than 9 acres in land.
The plots, located at the northeast corner of Ed Schmidt Boulevard and Hwy. 79, are being developed by Endeavor Real Estate Group. The approved retail space is the second phase of the Hanson's Corner development.
According to a brochure on the company's website, a Great Clips location has already signed a lease on the location.
