A new city is coming to South Texas — Starbase. Over the weekend, residents of the Boca Chica neighborhood voted to create a new municipality that will house SpaceX’s Starbase. The city’s creation was initiated by Elon Musk’s company itself.
Image source: SpaceX
According to the county election commission, 212 people voted to incorporate Boca Chica into the new city, with 6 against. The first municipal officials were also confirmed — all three are current or former SpaceX employees and were elected unopposed. SpaceX vice president Bobby Peden will be the first mayor of Starbase.
Of the 283 registered voters, most are SpaceX employees. Many took advantage of the early voting opportunity. The new 3.9-square-kilometer municipality will have planning, tax, and infrastructure management powers.
However, the initiative has caused a mixed reaction among residents of the area. Critics accuse the company of causing environmental damage and restricting access to natural areas. The region had long been sparsely populated until SpaceX began buying up land in 2012 to house its facilities. Today, about 500 people live there, including the company’s employees, and the area is home to residential buildings, the SpaceX headquarters, Elon Musk’s residence, a bust of the billionaire, and a street called Memes Street.
Starbase will be a Type C municipality, with a population of up to 5,000. However, the city will be able to impose local taxes, close roads, and restrict access to Boca Chica Beach and Boca Chica State Park during rocket launches or other events. Previously, Cameron County handled these functions.
The vote could create a conflict of interest between the county and the new city. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino opposes a bill that would allow Starbase to control beach access. Meanwhile, SpaceX is looking to increase its launches from five to 25 per year, which could mean more frequent beach access restrictions.