No—the May 2025 notice did not mean Starbase had taken anyone’s property or ordered residents to leave. It warned that a proposed zoning plan could affect some existing property uses. Starbase later adopted a citywide zoning ordinance and map on June 23, 2025. Whether the rules affect a particular parcel or use depends on its classification, the operative map and ordinance, and any relevant approvals.
What did Starbase tell property owners?
Starbase City Administrator Kent Myers sent a letter dated May 21, 2025, warning landowners that they might lose the right to continue using property for its current use under the city’s proposed zoning plan, according to KUT/The Texas Newsroom. The letter said the city’s goal was “to ensure that the zoning plan reflects the City’s vision for balanced growth, protecting critical economic drivers, ensuring public safety, and preserving green spaces.”
The warning was not a finding that a named owner would lose a home or land. KUT reported that the notice language was required under state law as part of the zoning process; it did not mean a property’s use would necessarily change. Jake Wegmann, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture, described such letters to KUT as a routine first step in creating zoning rules.
What happened after the notice?
The May letter concerned a proposed plan. On June 23, 2025, the Starbase commission adopted Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance 2025-06-23-D02-OR and the official zoning map. The ordinance says it took effect upon passage and publication as required by law. Its framework creates Heavy Industrial, Mixed Use, and Open Space districts and sets land-use and dimensional standards. Parcel classifications appear in the ordinance’s exhibits. Read the adopted ordinance.
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The city’s ordinance index, checked October 8, 2026, lists the 2025 zoning ordinance as current and also lists OR 2026-17, “Amending the Official City Zoning Map,” as current. The index entry alone does not show what that amendment changed for any particular parcel. Check the City of Starbase ordinance index.
Does zoning mean residents have to leave?
Not by itself. A zoning notice is not an order to vacate, and the notice alone does not establish that a particular use is now prohibited. The adopted ordinance applies to land, buildings, and structures within city limits and says development cannot occur until required approval is granted. It also sets use and dimensional standards. To know what those provisions mean for an existing property, a reader needs the parcel’s classification, the current map and ordinance, the actual use, and any applicable approvals. The citywide framework cannot answer those parcel-specific questions on its own.
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The ordinance provides for variances and a board of adjustment, and identifies the city commission as the planning and zoning commission. Those provisions form part of the city’s process; they do not determine whether a particular owner qualifies for relief.
Is zoning the same as eminent domain?
No. Zoning regulates how land may be used; eminent domain is a government process for taking private property. KUT quoted Matthew J. Festa, a professor of law at South Texas College of Law Houston, saying of the notice: “This is not eminent domain.” That distinction does not decide whether a particular zoning classification is lawful or fair, or what it means for an individual property.
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How to check what the rules mean for a specific property
- Identify the parcel. Confirm the property’s location and parcel boundaries within Starbase city limits.
- Check the operative map and ordinance. Consult the adopted ordinance and the current official zoning map, including any later amendment. The city index lists OR 2026-17, but the index title alone does not establish a parcel’s district.
- Compare the classification with the actual use. Review the ordinance’s use and dimensional standards and any relevant approvals. Do not assume that a notice by itself makes an existing use unlawful.
- Ask the city about records and approvals. For a concrete answer, seek confirmation of the parcel’s current classification and the rules or approvals applicable to its use.
- Get qualified legal advice if rights are at stake. A lawyer familiar with Texas land-use law can assess a particular parcel and circumstances; this reporting does not provide an individualized legal conclusion.
The ordinance includes penalties for violations, but those provisions do not mean a fine applies automatically because an owner received the 2025 notice. Whether a violation exists depends on the ordinance and the facts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the reporting establishes—and what it does not
KUT’s May 30, 2025 report described the warning and the proposed zoning process before the commission adopted the ordinance. The adopted text establishes the citywide framework; the later city index shows that a map amendment is listed as current. Those records do not establish that Starbase took or will take a specific resident’s property, or that any particular owner must stop a particular use. The Washington Post’s account of resident Homer Pompa documents a resident’s concern, not proof of a taking. Read the Washington Post account.
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