**Starbase Officially Becomes a City Amid Mixed Reactions**

Residents voted to incorporate the area as a city, but opposition remains regarding the environmental impact of SpaceX activities.

In a significant turn of events, the area known as SpaceX's operational hub in southern Texas has officially been designated as a city named Starbase. This development comes after local residents overwhelmingly approved the incorporation in a recent election, where 212 votes supported the move, while only six opposed it. The announcement was enthusiastically shared by billionaire Elon Musk on his social media platform, X, marking his excitement with the statement, "Starbase, Texas is now a real city!"

Starbase encompasses roughly 1.6 square miles (3.9 sq km) of land, an area that saw minimal population prior to SpaceX's land acquisitions beginning in 2012. The governance of the new municipality will be headed by a mayor and two commissioners responsible for local planning, taxation, and other administrative duties. However, some nearby residents have voiced their concerns about the potential environmental harm caused by SpaceX's activities.

The community surrounding Starbase is estimated to have about 500 residents, many of whom are SpaceX employees. The notion of turning the area into a formal city has been in discussions for several years, culminating in a successful petition in December 2024 that led to the recent vote. Bobby Peden, a SpaceX vice-president, will become the inaugural mayor, along with two other commissioners associated with the company, all of whom ran unopposed in the election.

As a Type C municipality, Starbase will have fewer than 5,000 residents and will be permitted to implement a property tax of up to 1.5%. Additionally, legislation currently in discussion could provide Starbase officials the authority to manage road closures during rocket launches and other related activities, which is a point of contention with surrounding county officials, particularly in regards to access to Boca Chica Beach.

Environmental activists have expressed ongoing concerns about the repercussions of SpaceX's launch activities, claiming that these operations have polluted the local environment, negatively impacting wildlife in the region. The company faced significant fines in 2024 for wastewater violations, which they attributed to "misunderstandings over paperwork" but defended adherence to environmental laws.

As SpaceX ramps up its launch schedule from five to potentially 25 per year, the newfound city designation could lead to conflicts with local governance regarding environmental protections and community access to popular natural resources, further complicating the dynamics of Musk’s burgeoning business empire in Texas.