Following over a year of litigation, the city of Bee Cave reached a settlement agreement with developers of the West Austin Business Park in January.
Diving in deeper
The property will be sold to Austin-based space satellite company CesiumAstro, per the terms of the agreement, for its global headquarters. The facility will be used to produce satellite communication technologies, according to a Jan. 5 news release from the city. Cesium has worked with the city to modify the development’s design, and the development agreement will be altered to ban warehouse and distribution uses.
West Austin Business Park developers Velocis and KBC will pay the city $500,000 as part of the settlement. The updated Cesium facility is expected to generate no more than eight trips per month, rather than the hundreds previously expected under the warehouse plan, according to the city.
“Bee Cave and the surrounding community deserve safe roads and responsible development,” Bee Cave Mayor Kara King said in the news release. “This agreement helps us deliver on those promises and represents a much better outcome for our community than a last mile warehouse distribution center.”
The facility will be modified by turning 76 of the loading bays into windows, leaving four truck bays. Additionally, Bee Cave Police must be notified 24 hours in advance of any 18-wheeler deliveries, and each truck must have an escort, according to the news release.
"Settlement of this lawsuit is an important step to finalizing a transaction on the property and creating a beneficial outcome for all parties," a spokesperson for Velocis said in an email.
What's next
Although the warehouse dispute was resolved, a trial is still scheduled for Feb. 23 to address city grievances against former City Manager Clint Garza relating to the development, according to the city.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
