“We need the ability to grow Starbase as a community,” said Starbase General Manager Kathryn Lueders in a 2024 letter to local officials.
The letter outlined how SpaceX already manages roads, utilities, schooling, and medical care within the area.
However, opponents say these changes favor corporate control over public interest. The South Texas Environmental Justice Network has led demonstrations, including one held Saturday during the vote, arguing that beach access should remain a public right.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., emphasized that the current arrangement with SpaceX works and questioned the need for new legislation.
Another controversial bill would make it a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 180 days in jail, to ignore an order to evacuate the beach during launches.
Woman Killed While Carrying a Bomb in Northern Greece, Authorities Say
A New Chapter for Starbase
Starbase covers just 1.5 square miles, populated with Airstream trailers and modest homes, and lined with roads often traveled by SpaceX employees in Teslas. But its impact stretches far beyond its physical footprint.
