Starbase, SpaceX’s company town in Texas that is less than a year old, is moving to create its own municipal court as it continues to build out local government services alongside a volunteer fire department and plans for a police force.
Proposal For A City Court
The city administrator submitted a proposed ordinance to the Starbase city commission during a meeting on Wednesday that would establish a municipal court. The plan calls for a part-time judge, prosecutor, and court clerk. Under the proposal, Starbase’s mayor would serve as the judge until one is appointed to a two-year term. The administrator wrote that he hopes to have a candidate ready by the commission’s next meeting.
A Growing Set Of Municipal Functions
Starbase currently lists about 580 residents and sits next to SpaceX’s South Texas rocket factory and launch site. The move to form a court follows earlier steps to expand city services. The city already operates a volunteer fire department and has taken over building permits and fire code inspections.
A previous plan to contract with county sheriff’s deputies to patrol the city did not move forward. After that effort fell apart, Starbase decided to create the Starbase Police Department instead. The city is still paying the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department to use its jail facilities, according to paperwork filed ahead of Wednesday’s meeting. The city has said the process of standing up its own police department could take around six months.
Details From The Police Application
During the same meeting, the city commission reviewed an application to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement that is required to establish the police force. The application included new data about service demands in the area.
The city wrote that its expanding population has driven an increase in calls. In 2025, Starbase recorded 420 calls to law enforcement, 180 calls for fire service, and 140 EMS calls. The application also listed 353 crashes in the area last year and said more than 7,000 vehicles travel Highway 4, the main route in and out of Starbase, each day.
The city said the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office has not been able to “guarantee dedicated law enforcement coverage for Starbase” and that the city’s remote location “requires rapid and reliable” response times. The application said these limits have raised concerns among residents and city leadership.
Spaceflight, Tourism, And Service Expectations
In the same filing, the city described Starbase as having a mix of advanced technology and coastal setting, along with high median household incomes and rising property values, which it said drives expectations for municipal services, especially public safety. The city also noted that SpaceX launches, which are expected to increase over the next few years, bring tourists to the area. The application said the city has a substantial governmental interest in ensuring the integrity of spaceflight operations that take place within its jurisdiction.
Featured image credits: Alexander Hatley via Wikimedia Commons
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