A Texas state park known for its beaches and wildlife habitat is at the center of a dispute over public land as SpaceX expands nearby.
The roughly 1,060-acre Boca Chica State Park has drawn generations of families to the coast. Residents and conservation advocates worry that the space may no longer be accessible to the public.
Here's what to know
According to The Texas Tribune, the final agenda for a November commission meeting omitted a planned discussion of Cameron County land after Texas Parks and Wildlife sought to withhold a draft agenda mentioning the possible "disposition" of that land.
The parks agency said the commission was "not considering the sale of the Boca Chica property at its November meeting." Texas Monthly reported that commissioners were set to weigh a 1,300-acre sale said to involve SpaceX.
A vote on a sale would not happen "anytime soon," Gov. Greg Abbott said Oct. 19.
Starbase, a city mostly led by company employees, also completed an annexation covering over 7,100 acres. The annexation placed much of the park under city oversight without transferring ownership. According to the Tribune, SpaceX has already purchased hundreds of acres surrounding the park.
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More background
Boca Chica Beach is about 18 miles east of Brownsville. The beach charges no entry fee, setting it apart from the commercial beaches on South Padre Island.
Industrial construction surrounds "the people's beach," which sometimes closes for rocket launches, the outlet noted.
Wildlife habitat and opportunities for outdoor recreation are among the benefits of the park's dunes, flats, marshes, and coastal grasslands. The state acquired Boca Chica State Park in 1994.
Purchases of nearby land for development have followed SpaceX's 2014 decision to test rockets in the area, the Tribune reported.
The Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas also considers Boca Chica sacred.
What's being done?
Texas House Democrats have requested all records about a possible sale of the park, according to the Tribune. State Rep. Erin Gamez, a Brownsville Democrat, said she took part in that request, per the Tribune.
Conservation groups and tribal advocates also sued to stop the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from exchanging 715 acres of refuge land for 683 privately owned acres near a different refuge.
That exchange could proceed after a federal judge denied the request for an injunction.
Money raised by a parkland sale must fund improvements or land purchases serving the same purpose, according to the Tribune. Texas law allows the agency to sell land once holding on to it no longer makes sense for the department's mission.
The parks department didn't answer the Tribune's questions about whether Boca Chica could be sold in the future. Any such sale would need the commission's approval through a final vote in open session.
"Boca Chica State Park provides enduring benefits for wildlife, habitat connectivity, and outdoor recreation while helping preserve the unique character of our Texas coast." James McGuire, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas, said. "... As development pressures mount in Texas, maintaining protections for remaining natural areas is becoming increasingly important. We hope these values — rooted in conservation — play an essential role in any discussions regarding future ownership or management of Boca Chica."
Where can I learn more?
The debate over Boca Chica comes as other Texas communities face changes to parks and private land.
• In Laredo, residents who preserved their only park faced border wall construction stakes.
• A $10 million Lake Palestine ranch was headed for state park status, but visitors must wait.
• Texas Big Bend ranchers sued to stop a border wall, citing threats to Rio Grande water access.
• A Texas landowner learned a 345-kV transmission line could split the family's property after opening mail.
• Houston broke ground on a $60 million overhaul of 25 neighborhood parks, its largest ever.
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