Starbase: The New City at the Heart of SpaceX Operations in Texas**

The new city of Starbase, established in an area dominated by SpaceX, is officially recognized after a successful vote, giving control over local governance to SpaceX affiliates. While this milestone represents a significant development for the tech giant, it also ignites discussions about environmental impacts and local legislation.**

Elon Musk’s SpaceX facility on the southern tip of Texas has been officially designated as a city, named Starbase, following a successful incorporation vote by local residents. Most voters in the recent election were SpaceX employees, producing a tally of 212 in favor and only six opposed, as reported by Cameron County. Musk celebrated the news on his social media platform X, proclaiming, “Starbase, Texas is now a real city!”

The newly formed city encompasses approximately 1.6 square miles (around 3.9 square kilometers) that were relatively uninhabited before SpaceX’s acquisition of the land beginning in 2012. Starbase’s local government will consist of a mayor and two commissioners responsible for planning, taxation, and other municipal matters. However, the incorporation has drawn criticism from some local residents who argue that SpaceX's activities have negatively impacted the environment.

Since its arrival, SpaceX has transformed the area with company housing and facilities, and Musk himself resides nearby. Unique local features include a road named Memes Street and a large bust of Musk, which recently faced vandalism. The town is estimated to have around 500 residents.

Rumors of city incorporation circulated for years, ultimately culminating in a formal petition submitted in December 2024, leading to the recent vote. Starbase will be classified as a Type C city—defined as a municipality with fewer than 5,000 people—which allows officials to impose a property tax rate of up to 1.5%, as specified by the Texas Municipal League. A bill currently in the Texas Legislature may grant Starbase officials control over local highway closures and limit access to Boca Chica Beach and Boca Chica State Park during rocket launches, a move that has garnered opposition from Cameron County officials.

SpaceX frequently conducts launches from the Starbase site, with plans to ramp up its annual launches from five to as many as 25. Environmental advocates have voiced concerns regarding the company's detrimental effects on local wildlife and have pointed to issues like increased light pollution and debris from rocket launches. In 2024, SpaceX faced fines of nearly $150,000 imposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for improper wastewater disposal, which the company attributed to "disagreements over paperwork," asserting that it complies with environmental regulations.

Musk’s operations have increasingly shifted from California to Texas, largely motivated by regulatory preferences and political differences with California. His businesses X and Boring now have headquarters located near Bastrop, further distant from Starbase, where development has not included ample new housing for the workforce, many of whom live in surrounding areas.

As Starbase strives to establish itself as a bona fide city, the balance between local governance, environmental stewardship, and SpaceX’s expansion ambitions remains a focal point of discussion.