Few people want to share their beef with their neighbors. That includes Elon Musk.
In March, Musk's team lobbyed officials from a high-end city in Westlake Hills, Texas, keeping details of his mansion and security operations quiet.
In these emails, Tech Bylionaire employees asked Westlake Hills officials to make their private life public in April. They pointed to Musk's work with the Trump administration as a reason his property records and communications with the city are exempt from the state and federal public records laws, the email said.
He added that one of Musk's employees wrote in an email sent to the city on March 3, and that homeowners should be exempt as they are “federal civil servants,” and that “federal clearance documents can be provided if necessary.”
Musk, 53, was trying to protect his neighbors from his disagreement over the construction of a 16-foot chain link fence and a metal gate with cameras under the apartment complex. He made changes to the property without obtaining appropriate permits, violated six city ordinances, and attempted to address the issue retroactively.
His privacy push failed. The Westlake Hills city's lawyers opposed the closure meeting, emails show. Last month, at a meeting of the Zoning and Planning Committee, Musk lost his appeal to maintain a fence and gate on his property. The issue is next to a city council meeting scheduled for May 14th but rescheduled June 11th after “applicant requested a postponement.”
Fletcher declined to comment on the city's documents. Musk and his team did not respond to requests for comment.
The 6,900-square-foot six-bedroom home in Westlake Hills is one of three mansions Musk has bought over the past few years for his children and mother. The apartment complex was a dead end of four homes, where Musk stayed while in Austin, becoming the hub of his growing security business. He purchased the property in 2022 through a limited liability company.
After the 16-foot fence and separate gates were built, neighbors complained about the leafy street structure and traffic. So Westlake Hills officials investigated.
By March, Musk's staff were concerned that documents sent to the city would be made public, the email said. Tisha Litta, a license officer working for Musk's limited liability company, emailed the city asking for a hearing that will be discussed about the issue with the property to be kept private.
Inna Kaplun, who was identified as an attorney working for a “real estate owner,” also sent an email to the city, claiming that the owner should be exempt from hearings due to the numerous security guards of the property, including the former federal government. Citing Texas law, the lawyers said there is no need for agencies to hold public meetings to deliberate on “security officers or devices.”
Musk's staff and city officials held at least one meeting in March to discuss the property, the email shows. In mid-March, the Westlake Hills city attorney opposed Musk's request for a private hearing, citing the Texas Open Meeting Act, according to an email.
At a meeting of the Public Zoning and Planning Committee last month, city employees recommended that Musk be allowed to maintain fences and gates built without permission, despite the need for minor changes. According to meeting records, some of the six members of the committee asked city staff about the proposal.
The committee ultimately voted to recommend that the city council reject Mr Musk's exception to his project.
