Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have finally won their battle against their neighbors to make changes to their property in Ohio.
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According to Page Six, the village’s Architectural Review Board approved Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s updated landscaping plans on November 10. The board had earlier delayed its decision because of concerns about the height and location of the trees.
The new plan includes rows of leafy shrubs that can grow up to 10 feet tall to give the couple more privacy. They had already received permission to build a six-foot privacy fence earlier in the fall.
Swift and Kelce were not present at the meeting, which around 35 people attended. Instead, their property manager, architect, and project manager attended on their behalf to discuss the plans.
However, the decision did not come easily, as the couple faced major backlash.
Resident Lucy Weller raised concerns about the effect of the landscaping on local wildlife.
“Here is a wonderful opportunity for people who have money to put it into the caliber that this house should have,” Weller said. “I think this is a wonderful opportunity for this camp to go back and learn a bit about native species and designs that show what animals need in this area.”
“They don’t need lawns; they need food and cover, and they need places to have sex. I don’t think this landscape does anything to provide for any of the wildlife.”
Meanwhile, FOX 8 Cleveland reported that another neighbor, Mark Orel, was unhappy with the entire project. “To be perfectly honest, I think it is stupid,” Orel said, adding that the couple would probably sell the mansion in seven to 10 years following a divorce. His comment reportedly drew boos from several people at the meeting.
He then tried to explain his remark, adding, “Well, statistically speaking,”
Travis Kelce bought the mansion in March using a newly created company registered in Ohio. The house is in Bratenahl, a village near Cleveland and close to Kelce’s hometown of Cleveland Heights.
Built in 1895, the 21,000-square-foot mansion has eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a separate guest cottage with two bedrooms, and a ballroom that has been turned into a game room and home theater.
One of the biggest objections came from their next-door neighbor, Katherine Bolton. Her house and the mansion share an old sewer pipe that is around 115 years old.
She was worried that the roots of the 50 evergreen trees the couple planned to plant could damage the pipe and cause sewage problems. Bolton also said she had received an estimate of $75,000 to protect the sewer line from possible damage caused by the roots.
But not everyone was against the decision.
Neighbor Vasiliki Diamantis told FOX 8, “We should feel privileged that these people chose this location for their residence.” She felt the village should be happy that the famous couple had chosen to live there.
Another resident, Bill Masters, pointed out that upsetting Taylor Swift’s fans and Kansas City Chiefs supporters might not be a wise move.
But what exactly pushed them to make these decisions?
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s push for privacy
In September 2026, Page Six reported that someone had approached Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s mansion and received a warning from an audio security system. The incident raised concerns about the couple’s privacy and security at their new home.
Following that incident, the couple planned changes to the outside of their Bratenahl mansion to make it more private. However, some people in the neighborhood objected to the proposed renovations.
The plan included replacing the existing five-foot fence with a taller six-foot fence. The new fence would also be placed two feet inside the property’s boundary.
Along with the fence, the couple proposed adding trees and shrubs around their 21,000-square-foot mansion. The thick greenery would act as a natural screen, making it harder for outsiders to see inside the property. These changes were intended to give the couple more privacy, but some neighbors worried that the trees would block their views of Lake Erie.
Now, with their plan approved, the couple is set to bring major changes to their property.