Don't think it should necessarily have to be civilian. A station could be civilian or military depending on its components I think, with upkeep costs and production based on the distinction. They could hold fuel, maintenance supplies and facilities, magazines, fighter bays, but no industrial facilities or mass drivers, needing to be stocked by freighters and tankers(to help this civilian freighters should be enabled to transport resources, but only from planets to starbases. If a planet is over reserve, and a starbase under, civilians generate orders to move the minerals).