Billionaire Nelson Peltz and his wife Claudia are facing a $250-a-day fine after constructing a padel court on their Palm Beach estate without approval. With fines retroactive to October 30, the Palm Beach Code Enforcement Board assessed the punishment on November 20. According to The Palm Beach Post, the sum had increased to $6,750 by November 25 and to $8,250 by Monday of the following week.
The history of the estate
The couple’s estate, Mountsorrel, is valued at $372 million, making it the second-largest residential property in Palm Beach after Ken Griffin’s 27-acre estate near Mar-a-Lago. The home was the site of Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham’s well-known wedding in 2022. For $13.5 million, Nelson Peltz bought the property in 1987, and in 1988, he added a guest home across the street. In 1991, the 15,400-square-foot home was finished.
Steer clear of public scrutiny
Board member Chris Larmoyeux suggested that the Peltzes may have sought to avoid a public hearing, which would have been required to obtain a special exception for the court. “It seemed they wanted to avoid a public hearing over the padel court,” Larmoyeux said. Such hearings notify neighbors of construction plans, and similar requests have been rejected in the past due to concerns about noise and disruption.
Code enforcement measures
Code enforcement officer John Moriarty explained that the couple began building the court in May 2024 after installing a permitted concrete slab. The padel court itself, however, was built without approval or scrutiny. According to Moriarty, the planning, zoning, and construction department first informed the department of the infraction in June. The Peltzes were not present at a board meeting in October when the matter was brought up.
The board gave the couple till October 30 to comply and assessed a $150 administrative fee at that meeting. The fine was imposed in November after they were unable to have the court removed.
Future choices
Board chairman Martin Klein noted that the Peltzes could seek a fine reduction if the town council approves their special-exemption request, scheduled for review on January 14. “They could ask the code enforcement board for a fine reduction if approval is granted,” Klein said. The daily fines will keep piling up until then.
Nelson Peltz’s background
Nelson Peltz is a co-founder of Trian Fund Management and Trian Partners and previously served as chairman of Wendy’s. His net worth is estimated at $1.6 billion by Forbes.