The city of Starbase, home to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has warned property owners that they may “lose the right to continue using” their land under a proposed zoning ordinance, according to a city memo sent May 21 and obtained by CNBC.
The new zoning plan would impact properties within a planned “Mixed Use District,” which would allow residential, retail, office and small-scale service uses. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, June 23, at Starbase’s temporary city hall in Brownsville.
“The City of Starbase is holding a hearing that will determine whether you may lose the right to continue using your property for its current use,” the notice states, citing Texas Local Government Code Section 211.006(a-1).
The memo was signed by Kent Myers, who, according to his LinkedIn profile, serves as Starbase’s city administrator and a SpaceX radiation test specialist. Neither SpaceX nor city officials responded to requests for comment on Thursday.
Starbase became an incorporated city earlier this month following a local election heavily supported by SpaceX. The city is operated by current and former SpaceX employees. According to the Texas Tribune, Starbase’s population is about 500 residents, with roughly half employed by the company.
The Starbase site covers a 1.6-square-mile launch facility where SpaceX conducted its ninth Starship test flight on Tuesday. The rocket exploded mid-flight, but the Federal Aviation Administration reported no injuries or damage to public property.
City officials continue to seek expanded authority to close roads and beaches during rocket launches without external approval.
Starship is SpaceX’s flagship vehicle for long-distance space travel, with goals that include missions to the Moon and Mars. Since 2008, SpaceX has secured more than $20 billion in U.S. government contracts.
