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Board hears remediation, liens and litigation tied to Novartis site at 2101 Shady Oaks
Summary
Staff and company noted environmental remediation needs at 2101 Shady Oaks, estimated at about $4.0 million, along with pending litigation over radioactive materials and $1.83 million in delinquent property taxes across taxing entities; city remediation funding is performance-based and contingent on purchase and remediation.
Board members pressed staff on environmental liabilities tied to the 2101 Shady Oaks site proposed for Novartis' facility. Britney Sontelo said the site was partially remediated in 2018 and that staff estimates the remaining remediation cost at about $4,000,000. "So the total cost to remediate the remaining materials is $4,000,000," Sontelo said on the record.
Sontelo and staff also told the board there is pending litigation between the Texas Department of State Health Services and current owner Kensington Title involving radioactive materials, and that delinquent taxes on the site total about $1,830,000. Staff emphasized that proposed city incentives tied to remediation are performance-based: to receive the city's remediation grant, the property must be purchased, remediated and the city portion of back taxes collected. Board members noted the city remediation grant appears small relative to the remediation estimate and asked staff to pursue additional state or county avenues to address the gap.
These environmental liabilities and outstanding liens are part of the due-diligence package staff will include as the recommended incentive moves to City Council; any city payment of remediation funds would occur only after stipulated conditions are met.
