Members of the South Texas community, who served as the hub for SpaceX, Elon Musk's Rocket Launch Company, voted on Saturday to formally establish a new city called Starbase, fulfilling one of Musk's long-standing dreams.
All but six of the 218 voted for the vote supported the adoption of Starbase City, according to Cameron County, which controlled the vote.
County election manager Remi Garza said there are 283 eligible voters.
The community, known to locals as Boca Chica, covers about 1.5 square miles with spit from the land that hits the Mexican border.
SpaceX established its position in the region in 2014 and has since become the company's central hub and launch site, home to hundreds of employees.
On his social media platform X, Musk has called the region Starbase more than dozens of times in the last four years.
“My main home is literally a ~$50,000 home on Bocachica/Starbase that I rented from SpaceX,” Musk wrote in June 2021.
In December, people living around the company's office and launching site filed a petition to officially establish the city of Starbase, Texas.
The petition described a community of about 500 residents, including at least 219 major residents and more than 100 children. According to the petition, almost all of them are tenants and work at SpaceX.
Local governments are entitled to establish their own police and fire stations and adopt their own ordinances, but not necessary.
“Cities are not required by law to do very little,” said Austin's lawyer Alain Bojörquez, who specializes in supporting Texans through the process of incorporating new municipalities.
Road maintenance is one of the most important issues and will no longer be handled by the county. But as a municipality, Starbase is eligible for state and federal grants, has certain immunity from lawsuits and could also condemn property, Bojorquez said.
“Starbase started with one shovel,” Musk said in X shortly after the votes were confirmed.
J. David Goodman Reports of contributions.
