Deseret Peak Utah Temple Wiki

Description

The Deseret Peak Utah Temple (formerly the Tooele Valley Utah Temple) is a planned temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tooele Utah.

History

Announcement

Utah’s twenty-first temple was announced for Tooele Valley on April 7, 2019, at the Sunday Afternoon Session of General Conference by President Russell M. Nelson.

There are eleven stakes organized in the valley with stake centers located in the communities of Tooele, Stansbury Park, Grantsville, and Erda. In recent years, Church membership has grown steadily in the county with members driving over 30 miles to participate in temple worship at the Salt Lake Temple.^[1]”Prophet Announces Eight New Temples at April 2019 General Conference,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 7 Apr. 2019.

Site Announcement

On September 25, 2019, the location of the Tooele Valley Utah Temple was announced. The temple will be constructed in the community of Erda, northwest of the intersection of Erda Way and Highway 36. Erda offers a central location to residents in the Tooele Valley.^[2]”Tooele Valley Utah Temple Site Announced,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 25 Sept. 2019

Rendering

On April 7, 2020, an official exterior rendering of the Tooele Valley Utah Temple was released.

On 28 April of 2020, interior renders for the proposed temple were released to the public, depicting the Recommend desk, The Baptistry, an Instruction Room, the Celestial Room, and a Sealing Room.^[3]“Interior Renderings Released for Tooele Valley Utah Temple.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 28 Apr. 2020.

Neighborhood Plan

Plans for a wider neighborhood development around the temple were released by the Church on 5 May 2020.

The concept plan includee more than 32 acres of open space, parks and walking trails set among single-family homes to be built on a variety of lot sizes. Directly west of the temple and chalep a 55+ active adult community of attached homes was proposed.^[4]“See the Residential Community Planned near Site of the Tooele Valley Utah Temple.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 5 May 2020. Overall the Church had proposed a walkable residential community, 167 acres with 446 homes surrounding the planned three-story temple. They would have been on a variety of lot sizes, from half-acre to high-density.^[5]“After Public Opposition, Top Latter-Day Saint Leaders Halt High-Density Housing Project near Planned Tooele Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Aug. 2020.^[6]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

New sewer, water and other utilities infrastructure would be needed to improve this largely vacant land. The Church said that the proposed residential community would make these utilities economically and functionally viable.^[7]“See the Residential Community Planned near Site of the Tooele Valley Utah Temple.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 5 May 2020.

Trouble

Almost immediately to the announcement, opposition formed.

Traffic congestion topped the list of worries people expressed. The temple would sit on Highway 36, which acts as botht he main road into Erda, and the primary access into Tooele, further south. Plans were in development even at that time for a secondary access to the interstate for Tooele, however there was concern that it would not resolve the increased traffic on the main highway that the development around the temple would bring. ^[8]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

A secondary concern raised was the addition of Sewer systems. In Erda, many residents rely on septic systems and well water. Some were worried about being forced to connect someday to new sewer and water systems instead. ^[9]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

Pressure on schools came up, too. Assuming an average of 1.93 children per family,(The U.S. national average in 2020^[10]Published by Statista Research Department, and Jan 26. “Average Number of Own Children per Family U.S.” Statista, 26 Jan. 2021. the 446 proposed residences could add as many as 860 children to the schools in Erda. ^[11]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

There were also many who expressed a desire to retain the community’s rural identity. Many of the homes in Erda were at the time sitting on lots 1 acre in size or larger. The proposed community development could have lots one half to one quarter that size. ^[12]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

While the Church insisted that the large cost of tying sewer and water into Stansbury Park to the North (not wanting the temple to be on a septic system that likely would not handle the needs) would cost around $13 million. Because of that, they indicated that the temple and the development were a package deal, and one would offset the cost of the other. ^[13]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021. Opponents to the development insisted that the two could easily be seperated, and used the claim to gather opposition to the Development among even those who were in favor of the Temple. ^[14]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

Rezone Approval

On May 6, 2020, the Tooele County Planning Commission voted to approve a recommendation to the County Commission to rezone 167 acres surrounding the site of the Tooele Valley Utah Temple from RR-1 to a planned community zone. The vote followed an hour-long public hearing with over 12,700 online participants and 670 emails. Of those emails, approximately 93 percent were in support of the temple, the housing development, or both.

Even as the planning commission approved, opposition grew. On 18 August 2020 the Toele County clerk confirmed that opponents had secured enough signatures for a referendum. As the Church had indicated, they wanted to fast track the temple construction in the face of the renovation occurring at the nearby Salt Lake Temple, this effected the overall timeline, as it would have to now wait for a public vote the following November. (Initially, it would have had to wait until November the following year, but the State had just passed a law allowing it to happen the same year as long as all the legal criteria had been met.) ^[15]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

Pulling the Development

A response to the referendum came from the Church that same day. In the face of opposition, and with a desire to avoid the discord the project had already created, the Church pulled the proposal for the community development. The hope and expressed desire at that time was to move forward with the temple construction. ^[16]“See the Residential Community Planned near Site of the Tooele Valley Utah Temple.” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 5 May 2020.^[17]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.^[18]“After Public Opposition, Top Latter-Day Saint Leaders Halt High-Density Housing Project near Planned Tooele Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Aug. 2020. .

Relocation and Rename

On January 19, 2021 the Church issued a press release.

“After considering current circumstances and opportunities, an alternate site for the temple has been selected. Previously known as the Tooele Valley Utah Temple, the new temple will be renamed the Deseret Peak Utah Temple.”^[19]“Tooele Valley Temple Relocated and Renamed .” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 19 Jan. 2021.

The new name would be the Deseret Peak Utah Temple. The new location would be in the community of Tooele itself, rather than Erda, at the intersection of 2400 North 400 West. ^[20]“Tooele Valley Temple Relocated and Renamed .” Newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 19 Jan. 2021. The Church specified that the exterior and interior renders of the temple that had been previously released would remain the same.

The decision came as a surprise, as many believed the situation had been suitably resolved the previous August, and that the temple would move forward on the original location. Hoever, according to Tooele County Commision Tom Tripp, the entire Erda project was dead the moment the referendum achieved enough signatures. “It was all done in one fell swoop,” he recalled. “They just waited to announce the new [temple] location, even though that decision had been made.”^[21]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

This was confirmed by others who were involved with the project on the Church’s side of things.

Richard Droubay, groundbreaking chairman for the Church, had become the public face of the Church in support of the development and the temple. He confirmed that “everything went silent after that withdrawal.”

“At that point, it was really extremely contentious,” he said. “And that’s when the First Presidency, particularly President Nelson, just said, ‘Call it off. We’re done. We’re not going to do this. We don’t work in an atmosphere of contention.’” ^[22]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

While the residents in Erda may have been relieved or disappointed with the loss of the temple, Tooele City Mayor confirmed that it was a good thing for the city, and that there had been no negative comments or any concerns expressed over the new location. ^[23]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

The new location was already zoned for higher density housing, and had already had a height limit in the neighborhood removed. While the area around the new temple is zoned for High Density, the property is already owned by other developers. On the plus side for the Church, most if not all of the needed infrastructure is already in place in the area. ^[24]Tonysemerad. “How a Tiny Utah Community Fought off an LDS Church Housing Project and Lost a Temple.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 28 Feb. 2021.

Groundbreaking

A beautiful spirit descended upon Utah’s Tooele Valley this morning at the groundbreaking service for the Deseret Peak Utah Temple. Elder Brook P. Hales of the Quorum of the Seventy presided at the event. In his site dedicatory prayer, he asked: “Please bless all that will live in this temple district that they will feel the godly power of this sacred edifice.” About two hundred Church members and invited guests attended at the temple site on Saturday morning under blue skies. The three-story temple will be approximately 70,000 square feet. A 20,000-square-foot meetinghouse will also be built on site in the northwestern section of Tooele. Elder Hales prayed, “Help us that through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we might be prepared and worthy to enter Thy sacred house to receive the blessings of exaltation available for ourselves and for our ancestors.”^[25]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Deseret Peak Utah Temple Construction Underway,” 15 May 2021.

Dedication

No dedication date has been announced for the temple.

Dedication Order

The Tooele Valley Utah Temple will be the twenty-first temple built in Utah and the first built in Tooele County.

Details

Exterior

The exterior of the temple will be clad in cast stone with copper shingles. Inspiration for the architectural details was drawn from nearby historic tabernacles. Several flowers native to the Tooele Valley will be featured in the art glass and throughout interior and exterior including cliffrose and silvery lupine.^[26]”Interior Renderings Released for Tooele Valley Utah Temple,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 28 Apr. 2020. Plans also call for the construction of an adjacent 20,000-square-foot meetinghouse.

Interior

The Tooele Valley Utah Temple will be a three-story building of approximately 70,000 square feet. The temple will have four ordinance rooms (stationary) and four sealing rooms. lans also call for the construction of an adjacent 20,000-square-foot meetinghouse.