Residents of Elon Musk’s newly incorporated company town, Starbase, Texas, are being warned they could lose their right to use their own land under proposed zoning changes.
According to CNBC, a leaked memo from the Starbase City Commission informed residents that a new zoning map could remove their right to use their property “for its current use.” This announcement has raised concern among both local homeowners and renters in the area.
A public hearing is scheduled for June 23 to present the zoning plan, but residents will only have 72 hours to review the proposed layout before the vote. The plan outlines a mixed-use district covering residential, office, retail, and service areas within the 1.6-square-mile town, sparking fears of displacement.
Prior to the incorporation of Starbase, estimates suggested that around 500 people lived in the area, with a majority employed by SpaceX. Ownership figures remain unclear, but the sudden zoning shift could affect most of the population. Only 283 individuals were eligible to vote on incorporating the town, with 212 backing it—many of whom now face losing their property usage rights.
The proposed changes resemble eminent domain in practice—allowing land to be repurposed with “just compensation” based on market value—raising legal and ethical questions.
Some residents and indigenous advocates are especially concerned about Musk’s increasing influence in the region. “These hills here are sacred to us,” said Juan Mancias, chair of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, in a statement to the Texas Tribune. “[SpaceX and Musk] don’t know the history of the land, and they’re trying to erase that.”
Alongside property concerns, environmental activists warn that Starbase’s official city status could open the door to further SpaceX activity at nearby Boca Chica Beach—a site already under scrutiny for ecological damage.
As the zoning vote nears, residents are demanding transparency and accountability over how Starbase intends to reshape the community.
Article updated 5 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
