Встановлення бюста Ілона Маска у місті Старбейс. Не жарт, не ШІ / X
The city of Starbase for Elon Musk’s SpaceX employees has been in existence for about a month, but it is already sending out letters threatening to deprive them of their property rights.
According to a copy of the document obtained by CNBC, the city sent a memorandum to residents who own property in the «mixed-use district» regarding the permit for «residential, office, retail, and service uses». On June 23, the city hall will hold a hearing to discuss the new zoning plan, «which will determine whether you may lose the right to continue using your property for its current purpose», — is written in capital letters in the memorandum.
It is not entirely clear whether this refers to the eviction of residents, and what might happen if someone loses the right to use their home. The document mentions that the so-called mixed-use district is intended for housing, as well as offices and shops — so perhaps some houses will change their use. In any case, it seems like a threatening warning.
In May Starbase residents voted to transform the city a settlement near the village of Boca Chica, Texas, into a city. It covers an area of about 4 km² and is home to about 500 residents, most of whom are SpaceX employees or contractors. The company began buying land in the area in 2012 to create infrastructure for rocket launches. Musk first proposed the idea of turning Starbase into a separate city in 2021.
Frequent launches have already caused damage to the environment and the local community. Now that Starbase is a city, the company will likely find it easier to violate regulations and curb discontent. Currently, SpaceX faces fines of about $150 thousand from the Environmental Protection Agency for illegal water pollution.
It is worth noting that the company invested in the region, created jobs and infrastructure. But everything has a price, and SpaceX is different a rather specific corporate culture.