Starbase, Elon Musk’s SpaceX Hub, May Rezone Residential Properties

Texas city of Starbase, home to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, sent a notice to residents last week stating that they may lose the right to continue using their property “for its current use.” The notice, according to CNBC, sent to property owners in a proposed “Mixed Use District,” would allow for “residential, office, retail, and small-scale service uses.”

“Our goal is to ensure that the zoning plan reflects the City’s vision for balanced growth, protecting critical economic drivers, ensuring public safety, and preserving green spaces,” the notice, dated May 21, reads, as reported by the Austin American-Statesman.

In one fell swoop, the notice doesn’t specify the possible consequences of homes located in the mixed-use district, it only mentions that “will be impacted”. Now, the city will have a public hearing to discuss and vote on the new ordinance on June 23 at 9 a.m. 

Starbase, a newly designated city in South Texas near Brownsville, officially gained municipal status just a month ago. Despite its recent recognition, the site has long functioned as a key launch facility for SpaceX’s rocket operations. Covering just 1.6 square miles, the community is home to roughly 500 residents, most of whom are SpaceX employees and their families.

In a petition submitted in December to establish Starbase as a city, proponents argued that formalizing the municipality was necessary for the continued growth of the community and the advancement of Starship, the spacecraft Elon Musk hopes will eventually carry humans to the moon and Mars. But before reaching the stars, it seems, SpaceX is clearing the ground beneath its feet.