Elon Musk faces backlash over 16-foot fence around Austin suburb mansion

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Neighbors in an Austin suburb are pissed off by a 16-foot fence round an almost 7,000 square-foot property, broadly reported to be owned by tech billionaire, Elon Musk.

It’s positioned off Stratford Reserve Place, which is on the sting of West Lake Hills’ metropolis limits. The controversy over the fence made its approach to West Lake Hills’ Zoning & Planning Commission meeting on April 16.

Tisha Ritta with Central Texas Allow Companions, LLC, served because the applicant representing the house proprietor. She listed six variance requests for the property, together with the existence of a 16.5-foot-tall fence that goes in opposition to the town’s code restrict of a six-foot most fence.

‘No allow was obtained’

In the course of the assembly, Ritta claimed the variances are wanted for privateness and safety considerations. She acknowledged that the fence was put in with out a allow again in 2022 when the house was initially bought.

“No allow was obtained previous to set up,” Ritta stated. “This was an oversight by the property supervisor on the time.”

Ritta stated as soon as the violations had been acquired final 12 months, they’ve been actively working with the town to resolve this.

“The proprietor did undergo nice extent, you already know, spent some huge cash to implement vegetation, the bushes and every part across the fence,” Ritta stated. “It coordinates with the neighborhood.”

Metropolis workers really useful the fee approve the variances with situations like:

• Altering the chain hyperlink fence to “ornamental fence materials”

• Permitting the entrance yard’s fence to encroach as much as the property line

Issues from individuals close by

Neighbors on the assembly stated they opposed “any and all variances request to be granted.” Three further properties on the cul de sac wrote a letter to the fee in opposition to the request.

Paul Hemmer, a neighbor, stated variances would “do nothing however simply facilitate their unhealthy habits on our quiet little cul de sac, which at instances seems to be a parking zone with many vehicles parked each which approach.”

Hemmer alleged the property appeared for use as a safety workplace, versus a residence.

“Shift change occurs 3 times a day, with vehicles coming and going, together with most of those staff ordering meals deliveries all hours of the night time and day,” Hemmer alleged through the fee assembly.

One commissioner, who was not recognized in a recording of the assembly, stated she couldn’t imagine metropolis workers was placing forth any advice for exceptions.

“I’m astounded that the workers is placing forth any type of suggestion that we bend primarily based on who’s asking, as a result of Westlake is stuffed with vital individuals,” the commissioner stated. “We’re not right here to guage private wants of the occupants. We’re right here to guage bodily wants of the land.”

In the end, commissioners voted in opposition to the town workers’s suggestions. The commissioners forwarded this to metropolis council with a advice for denial of all variance requests for “lack of acceptable hardships.”

Metropolis council will talk about this at a gathering on June 11.

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