Palo Alto REJECTS Mark Zuckerberg's bid to demolish neighboring homes and create a family compound after he spent $30m on properties next to his house

Mark Zuckerberg's plans to demolish and rebuild four homes neighboring his primary Palo Alto residence have been rejected by an architectural review board. On Thursday, the board decided the Facebook founder's plans will form a giant 'compound' and reduce the city's housing stock, violating zoning codes and ideal land use. Three years ago, the 32-year-old billionaire spent $30million snatching up the four properties in an attempt to maintain his privacy after a local real estate

developer announced plans to build a home with direct views into Zuckerberg's bedroom. According to application materials filed with city planners in May, Zuckerberg's plans include tearing down the four homes surrounding his house and rebuilding them as smaller single-family homes that will take up 20 per cent of the current footprint, without a clear view into his home. The two single-story and two two-story homes would be replaced by three single-story houses and one two-story house.

Zuckerberg's plans to keep the four homes as part of a larger compound where family and friends could stay is what the board took issue with, saying it would ruin the single-family home feel of the Crescent Park neighborhood.