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3w ago

SpaceX's Starbase Officially Becomes Texas' Newest City

Voters overwhelmingly approved the incorporation of Starbase, granting SpaceX employees municipal control over the 1.5-square-mile community near Boca Chica Beach.

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A statue of Elon Musk sits by the side of the road leading to his Space X facility, February 6, 2025 on the outskirts of Brownsville, Texas.
Voters who live near SpaceX’s facilities have begun early voting for Saturday’s election to incorporate Starbase as a new Texas city.

Overview

  • The incorporation vote passed with a final tally of 212–6, surpassing the minimum requirement of 143 votes for approval.
  • All elected city officials, including the mayor and two commissioners, are SpaceX employees who ran unopposed in the election.
  • Starbase's new municipal status enables local governance over emergency services, land use, and potential beach and road closures for rocket launches.
  • Critics, including environmental activists and local residents, warn of restricted public access to Boca Chica Beach and potential ecological harm.
  • The Texas Legislature is considering companion bills to transfer beach closure authority from county officials to the newly incorporated city government.