Billionaire businessman and SpaceX creator Elon Musk has long dreamed of creating a human settlement on Mars, with ambitions to transport **one million individuals** to the Red Planet.
Nevertheless, before achieving his extraterrestrial goals, Musk is taking a significant step toward developing a city—right here on Earth. In December, SpaceX filed a request to incorporate the coastal Texas community where its **Starship** manufacturing plant and **spaceport** are situated. If greenlit, the new city would be named **Starbase**.
### A Significant Progression Toward Incorporation
This week, the proposal reached an important stage. After analyzing the petition to confirm it fulfilled state criteria, **Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr.** announced a local vote for **May 3** to decide whether Starbase will attain municipal status. The result appears highly likely—most residents in the proposed **1.5-square-mile** zone are SpaceX employees and their families, residing in company-managed homes. Official **documents** indicate that SpaceX owns **237 out of 247** parcels in the vicinity.
Musk expressed his excitement over the development on **X** (previously Twitter), stating:
> “Starbase, Texas, will soon become an official city.”
### Local Community Concerns
While SpaceX workers may embrace the transformation, neighboring communities have voiced their worries. **Environmental activists** are apprehensive about unregulated development, while locals from adjacent **Brownsville, Texas**, fear losing public access to Boca Chica Beach. Additionally, many are questioning the necessity of SpaceX’s push for city status.
In a **letter** that accompanied the petition, **Kathy Lueders**, general manager of Starbase, clarified that incorporating the area would enable further growth. She highlighted that SpaceX has already poured billions into infrastructure and contributed hundreds of millions in local income and taxes.
The firm currently offers essential services, including **road maintenance, utilities, schools, and healthcare**. Lueders reassured that municipal status would not disrupt existing **environmental protections**.
> “Incorporating Starbase will simplify the processes needed to create the amenities essential for making the area a premier place to live,” she wrote.
### Strategic and Financial Considerations
Starbase is situated in **southern Texas**, close to the U.S.-Mexico border. In **July 2024**, Musk proclaimed on X that he was relocating **SpaceX’s headquarters** from California to Texas, citing frustrations with the regulations in his former home.
Some speculate that city incorporation could assist SpaceX in **gaining further public funding**, such as state and federal grants. Others suggest this move could allow the company to **navigate past bureaucratic obstacles**, facilitating road closures, beach access restrictions, and the clearing of surrounding waters for **Starship launch tests**.
Despite the apprehensions of nearby residents, their perspectives won’t influence the vote—only those residing within the proposed city boundaries are permitted to participate. As of **February 14**, there were just **160 registered voters** in the area, according to election administrator **Remi Garza**.
### Future Governance of Starbase
If the vote is successful, Starbase will have a **mayor** and **two city commissioners**. The petition includes applications for these positions, with all contenders running unchallenged. Although Musk won’t assume the role of mayor, **Gunnar Milburn**, a SpaceX security manager, is vying for the position.
Garza observed that the upcoming election could enhance voter turnout in the general election, being the first instance officials have provided a polling place in that part of the county.
> “Even better, it will cater not only to the residents in the area but also to the voters who work there,” he remarked to Mashable.
### A City on Earth Before a Colony on Mars
One fact stands out: creating a city in Texas is significantly simpler than constructing one **70 million miles away** on Mars. After all, the **Rio Grande Valley** possesses one substantial advantage over the Red Planet—**breathable air**.