Editing Round Rock, Texas (section)

===Other political subdivisions===
[[Municipal utility district]]s, commonly referred to as "MUDs", play a significant role in Round Rock. Each is a special-purpose district that provides [[public utilities]] such as water, [[sewage treatment|wastewater]], [[storm water]], and sometimes roads, [[parks]], [[solid waste]], and other infrastructure and services to the residents of each district. MUDs are typically formed by a [[developer (land)|residential developer]] as a means to install utilities and roads to a project when a city is not ready or able to provide them. The developer gets reimbursed over time from the fees levied by the MUD, and at some point the area may be [[annexed]] by the city to bring the development into the city's tax base once the basic infrastructure costs are paid off.<ref>{{cite news |title=City to buy regional wastewater system |first=Kathryn |last=Eakens |newspaper=Round Rock Leader |date=June 10, 2009 |url=http://www.rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21946&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715205908/http://www.rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=21946&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1 |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }}</ref>  The MUD is represented by its own [[board of directors]], who are voted on by the residents of the district, and it has the authority to condemn land, add additional land area, and levy fees in lieu of property taxes to maintain the utilities and other facilities.

Ten MUDs are in Round Rock: Brushy Creek, Fern Bluff, Highlands at Mayfield Ranch, Meadows at Chandler Creek, Paloma Lake, Parkside at Mayfield Ranch, Siena, Teravista, Vista Oaks, and Walsh Ranch. Total population living within these MUDs is 47,648 (2010 city estimate).<ref>City of Round Rock email from Joel Jordan, City Planning Department, August 12, 2010</ref>

Round Rock's largest district is Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bcmud.org/|title=Home - Brushy Creek MUD|website=www.bcmud.org|access-date=May 3, 2017}}</ref> Brushy Creek MUD was formed as Williamson County Municipal Utility District No. 2 in October 1977 with {{convert|725|acre|km2|sigfig=2}} of land. An annexation in 1983 increased the District to {{convert|2210|acre|km2|sigfig=2}}. The district name was changed to Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District in August 1990. The MUD provides a wide range of city-like services including parks and recreation, full utilities, road maintenance and a [[Homeowner association|Home Owner's Association]]. Services a MUD can offer, however are also limited by law (for example they cannot offer library services).

Another similar but somewhat smaller MUD in Round Rock's is Fern Bluff Municipal Utility District<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fernbluffmud.org/|title=front - Fern Bluff MUD|website=Fern Bluff MUD|access-date=May 3, 2017}}</ref> in the Wyoming Springs area of town. Both MUDs play a significant role in local governance and maintenance of basic utilities.

From time to time, elections to the boards were contentious and heated debates arose regarding other MUD issues.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stempko, McLaughlin vie for MUD position; Newcomers enter as Bradley departs |first=Lauri |last=Zachry |newspaper=Round Rock Leader |date=May 4, 2010 |url=http://www.rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=24537&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715205814/http://www.rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=24537&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1 |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }}</ref> Round Rock does not often annex a MUD to avoiding having to take on the aging infrastructure replacement and upkeep costs.