Howdy, Hutto. Early voting is underway through October 30, including the vote on Hutto’s proposed Justice Center. We’ve got the details below, along with a closer look at last week’s city meetings, from neighborhood development rules to the cost of a city-owned fire department.

Spooky season is filling the calendar with trunk-or-treats, scary movies, and creative nights around town. And after a 54–0 win over Leander, the Hippos head to Rouse this Thursday.

Thanks for spending part of your Tuesday with me. Hope to see you around town!

Quick local updates from around town.

Early Voting Begins | Early voting runs October 19–30, with Hutto voters deciding on a $48 million Justice Center bond that would fund a new police headquarters and increase property taxes if approved.

School Boundary Decision | Hutto ISD trustees will consider new high school attendance boundaries Thursday, October 22, ahead of Creekside High School’s planned August 2027 opening, with proposed maps and a feedback form available online.

Highway Traffic Tops Forecast | More than 10,000 vehicles a day use East WilCo Highway’s first segment between SH 130 and CR 137, exceeding officials’ projection of about 7,500.

Student Steps Up | Hutto High School student Cooper Allen used his dual-credit EMT training to help an injured driver after a truck struck his band bus following the September 11 football game.

Creekside HS Construction Milestone | Hippo Nation members signed a beam that will become part of Creekside High School’s frame as construction continues toward its planned August 2027 opening.

Your guide to what’s happening around town this week.

Rosé for a Reason
Hutto Wine Bar
Monday, October 19–Sunday, October 25
Support Breast Cancer Resource Center during a fundraising week with 10% of rosé bottle sales benefiting BCRC, with 15% of ALL sales donated during the fundraising week.

Calligraphy with Chris
Cumberland Road Art Studio
Wednesday, October 21 • 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Learn calligraphy to personalize cards, invitations, envelopes, and more, with supplies included for class and practice at home. $60 • Ages 16+

Hutto Farmers Market
350 Ed Schmidt Blvd.
Wednesday, October 21 • 3:00–7:00 PM
Local farmers, ranchers, artisans, food vendors, coffee, handmade goods, and more.

Midweek Mahjong Night
Grapes & Rye
Wednesday, October 21 • 6:00–8:00 PM
Enjoy two hours of Mahjong for beginners and experienced players alike. Free to play, with food and drink purchases encouraged. RSVP required; seats are limited, and you must confirm by text to hold your spot.

Advanced Broom Making
The Curious Hippo
Wednesday, October 21 • 6:00–9:00 PM
Create a fuller broom with intricate weaving and personalized decorations, guided by Jacqueline. No experience necessary. $49; bring your own broom handle, with all other supplies provided. Advance tickets encouraged. Upstairs access is by stairs only.

General Knowledge Trivia
Cottonwood Creek Brewery
Wednesday, October 21 • 7:00 PM
Put your random knowledge to the test with Cottonwood Creek Brewery’s weekly general trivia night.

Bookbinding Workshop
The Story Emporium & Bookshop
Thursday, October 22 • 5:00–6:30 PM
Create a hand-bound journal while learning to stitch pages, craft a cover, and assemble your book. $35 includes all tools and materials; no experience necessary. Registration required, with at least four participants needed for the class to run.

Craftin for the Mental Health with Liv — Adults
Cumberland Road Art Studio
Thursday, October 22 • 6:00–8:00 PM
Create cute charms with Liv, with supplies provided. $35 • Adults’ class.

Fall Stamp Making
Cottonwood Creek Brewery
Thursday, October 22 • 6:30–8:30 PM
Design and carve a reusable stamp, then use it to create fall art or personalize cards, journals, and gifts. Solo guests can choose “Solo but Social” seating at checkout. $28.52 • Ages 16+.

Broom Making with Jacqueline
The Curious Hippo
Friday, October 23 • 6:00–7:30 PM
Create and decorate your own broom with guidance from Jacqueline—no experience necessary. $33; bring your own broom handle, with all other supplies provided. Advance tickets encouraged. Upstairs access is by stairs only.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Parlour at The Curious Hippo
Friday, October 23 • 7:30–9:30 PM
Dress in character, sing along, and talk back to the screen during this upstairs screening with complimentary popcorn. $20 advance tickets or $25 walk-up • Ages 18+. No throwing props or other items; stairs-only access.

Sip & Paint: Spirit Soiree
The Curious Hippo
Friday, October 23 • 7:30–10:00 PM
Paint a jack-o’-lantern against a moonlit cemetery with step-by-step guidance—no experience necessary. $49 includes all painting supplies; drinks sold separately. Advance tickets encouraged. Upstairs access is by stairs only.

Trunk-or-Treat Family Fun Day
The Learning Experience
Saturday, October 24 • 9:00–11:00 AM
Come in costume for free trunk-or-treating, candy, face painting, carnival games, and music. All ages are welcome.

Fall Festival 2026
Calvary Apostolic Church
Saturday, October 24 • 11:00 AM–5:00 PM
Enjoy a free, family-friendly fall festival featuring food, games, hayrides, and live music.

Craftin for the Mental Health with Liv — Kids
Cumberland Road Art Studio
Saturday, October 24 • 12:00–2:00 PM
Create cute charms with Liv, with supplies provided. $35 • Kids’ class.

Halloween Cookie Decorating Class
Hutto Wine Bar
Saturday, October 24 • 2:00 PM
Decorate six Halloween sugar cookies with guidance from Julia’s Just Desserts, learning royal icing and piping basics along the way. $50 includes all supplies and a take-home box. Beginners welcome; children under 16 must attend with a ticketed adult.

Spooky Potion-Making Mixology Class
Grapes & Rye
Saturday, October 24 • 5:00–7:30 PM
Enjoy a welcome cocktail, then learn to shake, stir, and muddle two cocktails with guidance from an expert mixologist. Beginners welcome. $60 per person • Prepaid reservation required.

Frights at Orgain
Brushy Creek Amphitheater at Adam Orgain Park
Saturday, October 24 • 5:00–7:00 PM
Celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating, hayrides, themed activities, and a sensory-friendly time. Free and open to all ages.

Family Halloween Movie Night
Mini Mischief Ranch, 12000 FM 1660, Taylor
Saturday, October 24 • 6:30 PM
Visit with the animals before settling in for an outdoor Halloween movie just after dark. Bring a chair or blanket; concessions will be available for purchase. $5 per person.

The Parlour of Horror: Halloween
The Parlour at The Curious Hippo
Saturday, October 24 • 7:00–9:00 PM
Watch Halloween (1978) while playing Horror Bingo for prizes, with audience commentary encouraged and complimentary popcorn included. $35 • Ages 18+. Advance tickets encouraged. Upstairs access is by stairs only.

Crochet for Beginners
The Story Emporium & Bookshop
Sunday, October 25 • 12:00–1:00 PM
Learn crochet fundamentals or refresh your skills with guidance from an experienced fiber artist. $20 includes materials, with a take-home crochet kit for first-time students. Registration required; space is limited.

Watercolor Fundamentals
Cumberland Road Art Studio
Sunday, October 25 • 12:00–2:00 PM
Learn watercolor basics with artist Joanna Karnas-Liu, from choosing supplies to mixing colors and working with water and pigment through simple practice exercises. Designed for complete beginners. $45 • Ages 16+.

Hand-Embroidery for Beginners
The Story Emporium & Bookshop
Sunday, October 25 • 3:00–4:00 PM
Learn basic stitches and techniques for creating decorative designs in this beginner-friendly embroidery class. $25 includes materials. All skill levels welcome; registration required, and space is limited.

Trunk or Treat
Hutto Discovery United Methodist Church
Sunday, October 25 • 4:00–6:00 PM
Come in costume for decorated trunks, games, candy, free hot dogs, and Kona Ice. Free admission and open to all ages.

What gets built near our homes? How do we hear about it? And how does Hutto pay for the services a growing city needs?

Those questions ran through Hutto’s October 13 Planning and Zoning meeting and October 15 City Council meeting. Here’s what changed, what neighbors raised concerns about, and what still needs a decision.

Would you hear about a zoning change near your home?

That question became a sticking point as council considered replacing Hutto’s Unified Development Code, the rules governing what can be built, where it can go, and the standards developers must follow.

A proposed change discussed at the hearing would have reduced the zoning-notification distance from 600 feet to 200 feet. Residents worried that fewer neighbors would hear about proposals affecting their homes.

Council kept the existing notification provisions and approved the code replacement 7–0.

Councilmembers also debated whether the rewrite had received enough review and how it would affect the city’s ability to evaluate individual developments. Planning and Zoning will continue reviewing the code in sections and recommending changes, so expect more discussion about these rules in the months ahead.

How tall, and how loud, could a data center be?

Data centers came up at both meetings, with questions about height, noise, screening, and water use.

Planning and Zoning commissioners questioned draft language allowing buildings up to 120 feet tall along certain major corridors. At council, residents emphasized low-frequency noise: the persistent hum that landscaping or a wall may hide from view without making it less noticeable.

The city also discussed planned work with a consultant on data-center standards. The code-replacement vote did not approve a specific data-center project.

Parking raised another practical question: if businesses decide how much parking to provide, what happens when their lots fill up? Commissioners discussed whether removing minimum requirements could push customers into neighboring lots and streets and wanted more work before making a recommendation.

A proposed hotel raises backyard privacy concerns

For Emory Farms neighbors, the hotel discussion was about windows overlooking homes, lights reaching bedrooms, and noise next door.

Residents described problems they say they already experience from the nearby TownePlace Suites as Planning and Zoning considered a proposed four-story Home2 Suites on Ed Schmidt Boulevard, beside the neighborhood.

Hotel use is already allowed at the site. The developer’s main request was additional height.

The commission voted 5–2 to recommend the zoning amendment, with a 25-foot western landscape buffer, opaque west-facing windows, and fully shielded, downward-directed lighting.

City Council still has to decide. This proposal is separate from the Residence Inn planned at 328 Ed Schmidt Boulevard.

A city-owned fire department would need more than a station

Building a station is one expense. Keeping firefighters, equipment, and coverage ready year after year is another.

Council reviewed preliminary estimates of approximately $10 million for station construction alone and $1.56 million annually in staffing costs per station. Equipment, maintenance, administration, and other operating expenses would add to those figures.

Council directed staff to develop funding options for the first station and continue exploring equipment procurement. These are planning estimates, not an adopted department-wide budget.

The funding discussion also touched on how Hutto shares sales-tax revenue with Emergency Services District No. 3. Council discussed seeking a 90/10 split favoring the city in certain development areas, citing the city’s investment in infrastructure.

That remains a negotiating position. The district has not accepted that split, and council acknowledged the uncertainty of relying on projected sales-tax revenue to pay ongoing expenses.

The city is pursuing remedies for two infrastructure problems

Council authorized steps involving a damaged water line and defective park restrooms:

These votes allow the city to pursue remedies; they do not establish that a settlement has been reached, a lawsuit has been filed, or costs have been recovered.

And yes, council talked about Cybertrucks

Council voted 7–0 to request a cost comparison connected to a possible three-vehicle Cybertruck test for police or other city departments.

Staff will examine purchase and operating costs, charging, maintenance, repairs, and vehicle life. Council members also raised questions about parts availability, downtime, insurance, data privacy, and suitability for police work.

Any purchase or trial would need another decision.

Three development updates to know

Estates of Hutto: Planning and Zoning voted 7–0 to approve a preliminary layout for 140 single-family lots on approximately 53 acres near CR 132 and CR 133. An earlier approval had expired. Commissioners asked about traffic, road right-of-way, and infrastructure; more steps remain before homes can be built.

Limmer Holdings: Council approved an amendment allowing multifamily housing or townhomes on Parcel 6 of the development formerly known as Pearl Estates. The developer now has both options; the amendment does not promise townhomes.

Gola Subdivision / Rolling Glen: P&Z approved a final plat establishing approximately 61 acres as one open-space lot near Brushy Creek, much of it in the floodway. That establishes the lot’s boundaries without approving new homes or, by itself, creating a public park.

Why mixed-drink rules came up in a restaurant discussion

A developer told council that restrictions on mixed drinks can make it harder to attract full-service restaurants. Nearby properties can fall under different alcohol-sales rules, complicating recruitment.

Council approved changes to agreements with two local utility districts addressing alcohol sales and mixed-beverage sales-tax collection. It also waived city administrative annexation fees for owners seeking to join an area included in an election concerning distilled-spirits sales. Those actions address local agreements and boundaries. Future businesses still need the respective approvals.

We talked more about this issue last month →

A few more changes you may notice around town

Clearer downtown parking signs: Staff said posting dates were too easy to confuse with the dates parking restrictions actually begin. The front of temporary no-parking signs will emphasize when parking is prohibited, with posting information moved to the back—helping customers recognize when spaces are still available.

Help for the 150th celebration: Council clarified that city staff will provide operational support for the November 14 celebration, with costs covered by the volunteer committee’s event budget. That settles responsibility for tasks such as parking direction and on-site services.

Hutto Lake Playground: Council accepted the project’s infrastructure improvements, completing another administrative step for the park upgrade.

Sports news and updates from Hippo Nation.

Shutout Bounceback | Hutto took care of business Friday, beating Leander 54–0 at home behind another big night from senior receiver Jaiden Fields. His five touchdowns brought his season total to 23.

It was a strong response to the previous week’s two-point loss at Cedar Park—and Hutto’s first shutout of the season. The Hippos are now 6–2 overall and 3–1 in district, sitting second in District 24–6A.

A little perspective on this team: Hutto is averaging 56.5 points per game and has scored at least 50 in seven of eight games. All six wins have come by at least 26 points. Its two losses? A combined five points.

Thursday Night Football | The Hippos travel to face Rouse on Thursday, October 22, at 7:00 PM at John Gupton Stadium.

The Raiders enter 4–3 overall and 2–1 in district after beating Leander 31–3 in their latest game. They also had last week off, giving them extra preparation time while Hutto turns around on a shorter schedule.

There are a couple of matchups worth watching. Rouse quarterback Chase Whitten threw four touchdown passes against Leander, while linebacker Greysen Simpson has 11 sacks in the Raiders’ posted season statistics. Keeping pressure off Micah Antoun will matter as Hutto looks to keep its offense rolling.

With both teams competing near the top of the district standings, Thursday is an opportunity for Hutto to strengthen its position heading into the final stretch. It’s also the Hippos’ last regular-season road game before hosting Vandegrift on November 6.

Volleyball has two matches this week, too:

Get schedules, scores, and more at huttoathletics.com

Track new restaurants, shops, and development projects, with locations, status updates, and opening timelines as they’re confirmed.

Explore the Coming to Hutto Guide →

Mostly accurate forecast until Texas decides otherwise.

Cool mornings, warm afternoons. Expect highs in the 80s all week, with overnight lows mostly in the 50s to low 60s. Rain chances look slim, which is encouraging for this weekend’s outdoor festivities.

☀️ Tue–Thu: Sunny to mostly sunny, highs around 84–85°
🌤️ Fri–Sat: Partly cloudy, highs around 85–87°
☁️ Sun: Cloudier, with a high near 83°

That fall feeling is mostly sticking to the mornings. Keep the light jacket handy for early starts, but expect a warm afternoon if you’re heading out for some fun.

That’s it for this week, neighbor.
See you next Tuesday.

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