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A long-running dispute between Silicon Valley titan Mark Zuckerberg and his Palo Alto neighbors has culminated in a battle over an allegedly illegal school operating within his sprawling residential compound. For years, residents in the affluent Crescent Park neighborhood have voiced concerns ranging from intrusive security and constant construction to overwhelming traffic. However, it was the discovery of an unlicensed educational facility, purportedly named after the Zuckerbergs’ pet chicken, that ultimately sparked a full-blown revolt among his community.
The Expanding Compound and Growing Tensions
The Zuckerberg family, including Mark, his wife Priscilla Chan, and their daughters, resides in a vast Palo Alto estate that has progressively expanded to incorporate 11 previously distinct properties. This substantial growth began raising eyebrows as early as 2016, with initial worries that the acquisitions were artificially inflating local real estate values. The serenity of the charming neighborhood, characterized by its diverse architectural styles, was increasingly overshadowed by the sheer scale of the compound’s development.
The Unlicensed ‘Bicken Ben School’ Emerges
Around 2021, neighbors started observing activities consistent with a school operating from the Zuckerberg property. Such an establishment would be a clear violation of the area’s residential zoning laws without proper permits. This revelation ignited a determined campaign by residents to halt the school’s operations, a crusade that spanned years and ultimately concluded in the summer of 2025.
Complaints Mount: Noise, Traffic, and Security
Through Freedom of Information Act requests, exclusive documents obtained by WIRED shed light on the depth of the neighborhood’s frustrations. The 1,665 pages of records, including legal filings, construction plans, and emails, indicate that the school, known as “Bicken Ben School” (BBS), may have been active since 2021, with neighbor estimates suggesting an enrollment of up to 30 students. Beyond the school, these documents underscore nearly a decade of complaints concerning incessant construction noise, the pervasive presence of private security personnel, and an influx of staff and business associates causing severe traffic congestion and street parking issues.
City’s Response and Allegations of Preferential Treatment
Neighbors grew increasingly disillusioned with the Palo Alto city’s perceived inaction, especially regarding the unpermitted school. Many suspected that the delays stemmed from preferential treatment afforded to the billionaire family. An email sent to the city’s Planning and Development Services Department in February highlighted this sentiment: “We find it quite remarkable that you are working so hard to meet the needs of a single billionaire family while keeping the rest of the neighborhood in the dark.”
Palo Alto spokesperson Meghan Horrigan-Taylor, however, vehemently denied these claims, asserting that the city enforces zoning and building regulations “consistently, without regard to who owns a property.” She maintained that construction projects at the Zuckerberg properties were processed identically to any other property owner and that the city engaged with residents through meetings, site visits, and regular updates.
Escalation to a “Serious and Untenable” Situation
By late 2024, residents reached their breaking point. After a meeting with then-mayor Greer Stone, a group of neighbors formally escalated their grievances. The official state directory listed “Bicken Ben School” as opening on October 5, 2022, though neighbors reported its operation much earlier. Staff member Sara Berge, listed as the school’s point of contact, also claimed to have started her role as “head of school” for a “Montessori pod” at a “private family office” years prior.
Building inspection manager Korwyn Peck, in a December 2020 email, described a tense encounter with security personnel while investigating noise and traffic complaints near the compound, noting, “This appears to be more than a homeowner with a security fetish.”
Direct Confrontation and Demands for Accountability
A September 2024 email from a neighbor to top city officials asserted that despite numerous complaints since 2021, the school had continued to expand, reportedly converting a garage into an additional classroom. The email emphasized the “untenable traffic” situation, demanding a formal investigation and a swift cease and desist order. This sentiment was echoed in further communications to all city council members, describing the situation as “serious” and “untenable.”
Jonathan Lait, Palo Alto’s director of planning and development services, eventually confirmed to Christine Wade, a lawyer representing the Zuckerberg family, that the school lacked the necessary “conditional use” permit for operation in a residential zone. A meeting at City Hall in January 2025 saw Lait reiterate that the school would need to shut down if a permit wasn’t secured.
The Permit Predicament and “Nuanced Solutions”
Behind the scenes, the Zuckerberg family’s legal team argued that the school’s activities constituted “appropriate residential use” and began exploring the acquisition of a “Large Family Daycare” license, which is state-granted and not subject to city approval for up to 14 children under 10 years old. This maneuver aimed to circumvent local zoning restrictions.
However, neighbors vehemently rejected any “nuanced solution” proposed by the city, accusing officials of catering to a “serial violator” and demanding equal treatment under the law. “Would I, or any other homeowner, be given the courtesy of a ‘nuanced solution’ if we were in violation of city code for over four years?” one resident questioned.
School Moves, Neighbors Remain Wary
Ultimately, the city issued a deadline of June 30, 2025, for the Bicken Ben School to cease operations at the compound. While Zuckerberg family spokesperson Brian Baker stated that the school did not close but simply “moved,” its new location remains undisclosed. Public records also indicate that the family never applied for the daycare license, and their eldest child would soon age out of such a facility.
For the residents of Crescent Park, the saga of the “Bicken Ben School” and a decade of disruptions will not be easily forgotten. Despite the school’s relocation, many neighbors expressed continued skepticism and frustration. As one resident succinctly put it when contacted by WIRED, “Frankly I’m not sure what’s going on, except for noise and construction debris.” The lingering sentiment suggests that the conflict between a tech billionaire’s expansive ambitions and the quiet aspirations of a residential community remains a significant point of contention in Palo Alto.