Is the fate of the independent live streams in Boca Chica uncertain?
My headline paraphrases this interesting, very detailed, and largely accurate article today from Texas Monthly. It outlines how the newly formed town of Starbase there has the power to block the many independent lives streams and tourist operations that have sprung up since SpaceX opened its facility in Boca Chica.
This proxy government also has the power to create zoning rules and enforce them. In July the city adopted a plan that leaves those with the closest views of the launchpads in violation of new zoning designations. The mainstay launch-day ticket sellers here—Rocket Ranch and a few others—operate in what’s now officially a residential area, near newly built homes for SpaceX executives. The same violation applies to the spots where the streamers have mounted their video cameras.
These cottage industries aren’t doomed. Texas law has grandfathering provisions that allow existing businesses to remain open after zoning changes. But Starbase city attorney Andy Messer raised eyebrows during a recent city commission meeting by saying that the grandfathering would be considered on a “case-by-case basis.” Hearing this, some property owners expressed hesitation to approach the city to ask if their status was in question. “I don’t want to poke the bear,” as one put it.
Will SpaceX force the town of Starbase to shut these independent operations down? The article describes the possibilities in great detail. The very nature of SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk, suggests it won’t happen. The company thrives on openness and straight talk. Musk himself is a proven supporter of free speech and competition. It would be shocking if his company suddenly took a different position. Moreover, SpaceX, Starbase, or its residents (almost all of which are SpaceX employees) generally benefit from the good publicity of these independent operations, publicity that the company’s own employees enjoy.
Yet, Starbase is a company town, and the long history of such places is that with time, the company takes over and rules everything, allowing nothing that it does not control.
Stay tuned. Above all things won’t be dull in Boca Chica.
Hat tip Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
My headline paraphrases this interesting, very detailed, and largely accurate article today from Texas Monthly. It outlines how the newly formed town of Starbase there has the power to block the many independent lives streams and tourist operations that have sprung up since SpaceX opened its facility in Boca Chica.
This proxy government also has the power to create zoning rules and enforce them. In July the city adopted a plan that leaves those with the closest views of the launchpads in violation of new zoning designations. The mainstay launch-day ticket sellers here—Rocket Ranch and a few others—operate in what’s now officially a residential area, near newly built homes for SpaceX executives. The same violation applies to the spots where the streamers have mounted their video cameras.
These cottage industries aren’t doomed. Texas law has grandfathering provisions that allow existing businesses to remain open after zoning changes. But Starbase city attorney Andy Messer raised eyebrows during a recent city commission meeting by saying that the grandfathering would be considered on a “case-by-case basis.” Hearing this, some property owners expressed hesitation to approach the city to ask if their status was in question. “I don’t want to poke the bear,” as one put it.
Will SpaceX force the town of Starbase to shut these independent operations down? The article describes the possibilities in great detail. The very nature of SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk, suggests it won’t happen. The company thrives on openness and straight talk. Musk himself is a proven supporter of free speech and competition. It would be shocking if his company suddenly took a different position. Moreover, SpaceX, Starbase, or its residents (almost all of which are SpaceX employees) generally benefit from the good publicity of these independent operations, publicity that the company’s own employees enjoy.
Yet, Starbase is a company town, and the long history of such places is that with time, the company takes over and rules everything, allowing nothing that it does not control.
Stay tuned. Above all things won’t be dull in Boca Chica.
Hat tip Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I agree. It would be really foolish, and frankly, ungrateful, to shut down all the live streamer camera operations on the outskirts of Starbase. This has been some of the best PR SpaceX could ask for.
In fact, why….in at least two of Tim Dodd’s tours of Starfactory, we’ve been able to see the NSF stream up live on monitors inside the factory! Clearly there are NSF fans working there.
And, at last check, there are two NSF alums now working for SpaceX, and I think at least one of them is at Starbase.
At bare minimum, I think the old regulars — NSF, Lab Padre in particular — should be left to operate just as they have been, to the extent that Starbase expansion projects permit it.
The one legit complaint though is having many cars and people in a residential street, think your next door neighbor having a giant party, for days on end each time there is a launch scheduled. That would bug me to no end even if it were good folks enjoying the things I enjoy.
Company Towns were vile things….Tennessee Ernie Ford even sang about it. The 1920 coal strike here left deep wounds.
Elon has some good will there–unless he blows it with this foolishness.
I could seen the need to keep military things secret but that could be accommodated pretty easy by all. Either by a volunteer shutdown of the feed on request or by having a remote shut off commanded by Space X.
They could trade this small accommodation with first and better access to Space X interviews and inside news.
So far things have been pretty good for all involved, no need to tank a good functioning relationship.
Some time ago an over zealous security guard removed a livestream camera from BC. When Elon found out he demanded it be re-instated forthwith as he used to look at that feed to find out what was going on.
Mr. Pratt–
Totally understand the traffic thing!
I used to live in a very nice subdivision literally a block away from our County Fair Grounds. Majority of the time you didn’t know they existed, except every weekend during the Summer & Fall.
-Antique Show Saturdays were very popular, and 2,000 people would descend upon us. The cottage industry was selling bundles of firewood to Campers, discount parking on your front lawn, cans of cold beverages, and the antique shop in your pole-barn that wasn’t really zoned for that purpose, but nobody bothered you.
Everyone (local) knew before they moved to that area, that Stuff would be going on right next door (like’ since 1920…) on a fairly regular basis.
On the upside, all Events had to end by midnight, so no endless parties were tolerated.