“Rocky” star Sylvester Stallone has reportedly prompted outrage from his Palm Beach, Fla., neighbors with his plans to build an underwater barrier next to his $35 million mansion, in an apparent bid to keep boaters away from his home.
Stallone, 78, has submitted plans for the very unique amenity to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to The Palm Beach Post, which reports that he initially billed the Intercoastal Waterway barrier as a means of keeping “seaweed and debris” away from his property.
However, a public notice issued by the U.S. Army Corps notes that the barrier’s primary “purpose” is actually to “exclude boaters” from venturing near Stallone’s sprawling home, with seaweed and debris listed as a secondary issue.
Stallone’s plans also include an application to lease land from the state, on which at least part of the barrier will be built.
His desire to effectively take ownership of at least a portion of the ocean has been met with fury by his neighbors, with one, Bradford Gary, telling The Post that he does not believe the “Rambo” star should be allowed to simply “stake his claim” to public land.
“He bought a beautiful property, one of the nicest West Indies houses,” Gary told the outlet. “I can see why you’d want to protect it. But you can’t just kind of stake your claim and think you own the water.”
According to records, the barrier—which is being described as an environmental project—would rise around 8 inches above the water and extend 10 inches below it and would be held in place by nylon ropes, allowing marine life to swim underneath and around it.
The L-shaped barrier will begin at a dock that sits on Stallone’s enormous property and extend out for 191 feet, before turning back toward his private beach frontage.
Stallone’s plans for the underwater barrier have been in motion since 2022, when the state Department of Environmental Protection came to his home for a site visit, according to the Post. He officially submitted his application for the build in January 2023.
As part of the application process, public notices were sent to others living in Stallone’s neighborhood requesting that they submit any comments about the project by 5 p.m. on Christmas Day.
The arrival of the notice is said to have “blindsided” his neighbors, with Gary noting that in the majority of cases, when a local wants to complete some kind of renovation or construction work, they will personally notify those who live nearest to them.
“Usually when your neighbors are gonna do something, we’ve found in Palm Beach, usually they call,” he said. “A lot of neighbors are concerned.”
Plans for the barrier are currently being reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps, with a spokesperson telling The Post: “The Corps is reviewing the project purpose to determine if the use of barrier for the purpose of deterring boaters within the public waterway is permittable.”
The spokesperson noted that the U.S. Army Corps has requested more information about the project from Stallone and his team, who did not respond to requests for comment.
Stallone purchased the 13,241-square-foot waterfront mansion back in December 2020 via a trust, with records revealing that he paid $35,375,000 for the home—a discount from the original listing price of $37,850,000.
Described in its original listing as a “sensational estate compound,” the property boasts seven bedrooms and 10.5 bathrooms, as well as a large guesthouse and cabana that sit separately to the main residence.
In addition, the layout includes a gym, wine storage, library, and a family room with a wet bar. Outside, the grounds feature a pool with a beachfront spa that practically touches the lake.
But perhaps the most alluring aspect of the property is its 250 feet of private beach, which Stallone is now attempting to make all the more secure with the addition of the barrier.
Stallone currently lives in the home with his wife, Jennifer Flavin, who he wed in 1997.
Prior to his purchase of the property, the actor had been living in a stunning La Quinta, Calif., home, which he placed on the market the same year he snapped up his Palm Beach abode.
Stallone bought the four-bedroom abode, located inside the Madison Club, for $4.5 million in 2010; however, he ultimately wound up selling the golf retreat at a loss, for $3.15 million.