CAMERON COUNTY, Texas — In a decisive move that formalizes its growing presence in the Rio Grande Valley, the community of Starbase voted on May 3, 2025, to incorporate as an official city. The vote passed overwhelmingly, with 212 residents in favor and just 6 against, out of a total of 218 ballots cast.
Starbase, located in the southern tip of Texas near Boca Chica Beach, has been home to SpaceX’s launch operations since 2014. The area has seen a dramatic transformation over the past decade, evolving from a sparsely populated coastal community into a bustling hub for spaceflight development and rocket testing. With the incorporation vote, Starbase is now officially recognized as a Type C general law municipality under Texas law.
The new city will operate under a commission form of government, featuring a mayor and two commissioners. All three newly elected officials have direct ties to SpaceX: Bobby Peden, a vice president at the company, was elected mayor, while commissioners Jordan Buss and Jenna Petrzelka are also company employees. Their election signals a strong alignment between the city’s leadership and SpaceX’s operational goals.
Cityhood provides Starbase with new legal and administrative powers, including authority over zoning, infrastructure development, and emergency services. Supporters of the move argue it will allow the community to better coordinate with SpaceX’s rapidly expanding presence and address local issues such as traffic, housing, and safety without relying solely on Cameron County governance.
Shortly after incorporation, the city council approved a set of zoning ordinances dividing the municipality into three main categories: heavy industrial, mixed-use commercial and residential, and designated open space. These decisions align with SpaceX’s logistical needs but have prompted concern among residents and property owners not affiliated with the company.
Some community members argue that the new zoning rules could restrict independent development and favor corporate interests. “We’ve gone from being a community near a launch site to a city essentially run by the launch site,” said one long-time resident. Questions have also been raised about potential conflicts of interest given that all elected officials are employees of the area’s dominant corporate stakeholder.
Environmental advocates have also voiced concerns. The region is part of a fragile coastal ecosystem that includes habitat for endangered species like the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Critics worry that Starbase’s incorporation and associated development could lead to reduced oversight or relaxation of environmental protections, particularly with the city now holding regulatory authority.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has long hinted at his desire to build a city around the company’s Texas launch site, at times referring to the area as “Starbase” even before the name was officially adopted. The company’s ambitions for the location include large-scale manufacturing of its Starship rocket, commercial spaceflights, and potential infrastructure for lunar and Mars missions.
The incorporation of Starbase follows broader national trends where private entities play increasingly central roles in community development, especially in emerging technology sectors. While company towns have a historical precedent in the U.S., from mining communities to railroad settlements, modern examples like Starbase raise complex legal and ethical considerations around governance, representation, and public accountability.
For now, the focus in Starbase is on establishing foundational city services and long-term planning. Officials are expected to consider proposals related to transportation improvements, housing development, and utility expansion in the coming months.
As Starbase transitions from a launchpad-adjacent settlement to a formal municipality, the experiment will be closely watched by urban planners, space industry analysts, and policymakers nationwide. How the city balances innovation, autonomy, and community interests could serve as a template—or cautionary tale—for future public-private ventures.
