Starbase, Texas

[sdsds]

Interesting that they went with "Star Base" rather than say "Star City".

Star City is in Russia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City,_Russia

[meekGee]

Interesting that they went with "Star Base" rather than say "Star City".

Star City is in Russia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City,_Russia

Ah.

Besides, what they're building is rightly more of a starbase than a starcity.  And it reads better as a oneword.

Exciting stuff - I wonder just how big it'll be.

[llanitedave]

Interesting that they went with "Star Base" rather than say "Star City".

Star City is in Russia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City,_Russia

And Moscow is in Idaho, and Athens is in Georgia.  I don't think it's a problem.

[bstrong]

I found this primer on cities from the Texas Municipal League:

https://www.tml.org/DocumentCenter/View/244/Types-of-Texas-Cities-PDF

My interpretation based on a quick read:

1) Starbase would be a Type A city (because it has as manufacturing facility)
2) It would be governed by Texas General Law (because it has fewer than 5,000 residents)
3) As a Type A General Law City, it would be governed by an elected council consisting of a mayor and five councilmembers and "may adopt an ordinance, act, law, or regulation, not inconsistent with state law, that is necessary for the government, interest, welfare, or good order of the municipality as a body politic"
4) The process for incorporation is to submit a petition to the county judge, who then schedules an election on the question of incorporation
5) All general law cities are allowed to have a police force

And while it's not specifically covered in the document, I believe all cities in Texas have the power of eminent domain and can create their own beach access plans, which preempt the counties plans but are still be subject to the review of the Texas General Land Office.

I'm not an authority on any of this, just an interested Texas resident.

[50_Caliber]

I like the name Rocket Town, that's actually my nickname for Boca Chica.

[Hamish.Student]

I found this primer on cities from the Texas Municipal League:

https://www.tml.org/DocumentCenter/View/244/Types-of-Texas-Cities-PDF

My interpretation based on a quick read:

1) Starbase would be a Type A city (because it has as manufacturing facility)
2) It would be governed by Texas General Law (because it has fewer than 5,000 residents)
3) As a Type A General Law City, it would be governed by an elected council consisting of a mayor and five councilmembers and "may adopt an ordinance, act, law, or regulation, not inconsistent with state law, that is necessary for the government, interest, welfare, or good order of the municipality as a body politic"
4) The process for incorporation is to submit a petition to the county judge, who then schedules an election on the question of incorporation
5) All general law cities are allowed to have a police force

And while it's not specifically covered in the document, I believe all cities in Texas have the power of eminent domain and can create their own beach access plans, which preempt the counties plans but are still be subject to the review of the Texas General Land Office.

I'm not an authority on any of this, just an interested Texas resident.

 
 
Great find. This certainly puts some weight on my consolidation of operations theory. 
I think we should keep eyes open for job listing for people with significant law enforcement experience.
With the recent range violations, im sure SpaceX has been trying to find ways to exert more of their direct control as is there way with vertical integration. 
Local cops not doing a good enough job? Start you own police force! 
 
This is all my speculation.

[jstrotha0975]

I like the name Rocket Town, that's actually my nickname for Boca Chica.

I like that. It sounds like something from the Fallout universe.

[Mandella]

Interesting that they went with "Star Base" rather than say "Star City".

Star City is in Russia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City,_Russia

And Moscow is in Idaho, and Athens is in Georgia.  I don't think it's a problem.

I don't think it's a matter that they can't do it, they just wouldn't want to do it to avoid confusion. Star City Russia is also a municipality supporting space flight, while Moscow Idaho and Athens Georgia are not likely to be confused in conversation with their counterparts across the water.

[alastairmayer]

Would Starbase allow SpaceX security to act as de-facto law enforcement as far as road closures and range clearance is concerned? 
Simply, SpaceX would no longer need Cameron County Sheriffs to support? 
Is this correct?

Perhaps someone familiar with Texas law can comment. Here in FL, Disney contracts with other areas (like Orlando) for police to patrol their city.

The recently (few years back) incorporated city of Centennial, Colorado does something similar, paying Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office for extra deputies.  (Centennial mainly incorporated to prevent the adjacent Denver suburb of Greenwood Village from annexing all the unincorporated commercial properties while skipping the residential areas.)

[mlindner]

So people who moved to a nice peaceful place, outside of city limits to be free of taxes and regulations, are going to be stomped on by a for-profit company. Nice.

And if someone tries to regulate or tax the company, it'll whine to high heaven about freedom and rights.

I believe everyone who still lives in Boca Chica Village is now renting their property from SpaceX that they sold to SpaceX. (Though Nomadd can probably correct me if I'm wrong.)  So that ship has already sailed.

[Ludus]

If it’s a City it needs a minimum number of Residents. They’d presumably mostly be SpaceX Employees, contractors or fans but they’d be living there and it would make sense for them to have dwellings and amenities that didn’t have to be evacuated every time SpaceX had a launch scheduled. Elon had speculated in the past about places to live there. I’m curious about what sort of architecture is suitable for StarBase City. Loop tunnels to South Padre make some sense. Before they’re built Hovercraft shuttles? Would berms or ramparts in the direction of the launch/landing pads be enough protection?

[spacenut]

Incorporation could also allow them to take in more property toward Brownsville and towards the ship canal.  Thus giving more room for say a subdivision where workers could have homes beyond the evacuation areas during launches, yet be only a short distance to work.  A bus could come by and pick up workers and take them to work and bring them home. and such.  They could even have a bridge built across the ship canal and have a subdivision and shopping areas north of the canal. 

Space is is going to have to have nice areas for their permanent workers to live.  Don't really know how far many of them have to drive to work now.  Many may have moved there and live in apartments in Brownsville.  Starbase, Texas could grow to be a fairly big town east of Brownsville and north of the shipping canal.  Shopping and other small businesses can service the people working at Starbase Texas.  It normally takes about 7 people to serve one worker in a factory.  Everything from having a doctors office to dog grooming services. 

[meekGee]

Elon always thinks big.

Expect a large university and manufacturing town centered around Mars habitation in general, not just starship...

[novo2044]

https://www.tmz.com/2021/03/05/elon-musk-starbase-city-backed-cameron-county-commissioner-jobs-tourism-space-x/

Just a blurb from TMZ but it seems the county government is on board. Between the massive infrastructure Spacex wants to improve, high tech high paying jobs being brought to the area, and tourism it really seems like a no brainer. I had no idea that there were 1800 residents working for Spacex in the county, I would've guessed far fewer.  Between their families and the local business that will pop up to support them... maybe getting to 10K isn't so unrealistic. Wonder if the local UT campus can take advantage of the situation as well.

[jstrotha0975]

Incorporation could also allow them to take in more property toward Brownsville and towards the ship canal.  Thus giving more room for say a subdivision where workers could have homes beyond the evacuation areas during launches, yet be only a short distance to work.  A bus could come by and pick up workers and take them to work and bring them home. and such.  They could even have a bridge built across the ship canal and have a subdivision and shopping areas north of the canal. 

Space is is going to have to have nice areas for their permanent workers to live.  Don't really know how far many of them have to drive to work now.  Many may have moved there and live in apartments in Brownsville.  Starbase, Texas could grow to be a fairly big town east of Brownsville and north of the shipping canal.  Shopping and other small businesses can service the people working at Starbase Texas.  It normally takes about 7 people to serve one worker in a factory.  Everything from having a doctors office to dog grooming services.

My dream is to open a gas station and convenience store in or near Boca Chica.

[Nomadd]

So people who moved to a nice peaceful place, outside of city limits to be free of taxes and regulations, are going to be stomped on by a for-profit company. Nice.

And if someone tries to regulate or tax the company, it'll whine to high heaven about freedom and rights.

I believe everyone who still lives in Boca Chica Village is now renting their property from SpaceX that they sold to SpaceX. (Though Nomadd can probably correct me if I'm wrong.)  So that ship has already sailed.

Nobody is renting from SpaceX. Everybody but one crazy squatter still owns their homes.
 I think the guy you're replying to got lost on his way to Reddit.

[Nomadd]

 There are half a dozen solar roofs going on in the village. I assume every SpaceX house will get one. The vision for Elon Land no doubt includes self sufficient power.

[lykos]

My dream is to open a gas station and convenience store in or near Boca Chica.

I don't believe a gas station has a big future in SX- Elon-Tesla-town 

[jstrotha0975]

My dream is to open a gas station and convenience store in or near Boca Chica.

I don't believe a gas station has a big future in SX- Elon-Tesla-town 

I don't think the ICE is going completely away any time soon, especially in rural areas. But Elon may build his city quickly as he does other things.

[Hauerg]

So people who moved to a nice peaceful place, outside of city limits to be free of taxes and regulations, are going to be stomped on by a for-profit company. Nice.

And if someone tries to regulate or tax the company, it'll whine to high heaven about freedom and rights.

You are three years late for THAT discussion, boy.