Lone Mountain Nevada Temple Wiki

Quick Facts

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Description

Lone Mountain is on the northwest side of the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Nearly 6% of Nevada’s population are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are about 180,000 Latter-day Saints in more than 360 congregations in the state.

History

Shortly after Latter-day Saint pioneers arrived in the Western United States in the 1840s, they established a trading post near Carson City (now the state’s capital).^[1]”The Church of Jesus Christ Will Build 18 New Houses of the Lord,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 2 Oct. 2022, https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2022-general-conference-new-temples.

The temple will be the state’s fourth. The Las Vegas Nevada Temple was dedicated in 1989, and the Reno Nevada Temple was dedicated in 2000. Ground was broken for the Elko Nevada Temple in 2022 and was under construction at the time of the announcement.

Announced

Location Announced

On December 12, 2022, the site of the Lone Mountain Nevada Temple was announced as a 19.8-acre site southwest of Hickman Avenue between North Grand Canyon Drive and Tee Pee Lane in the Lone Mountain neighborhood of Las Vegas.^[3]“Site Announced for Second Temple in Las Vegas.” newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org, 12 Dec. 2022, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/temple-location-announced-in-las-vegas-nevada.

Render Released

Controversy

2024 March 21

Within 1 month of the render release, Neighborhood opinion against the project hit the local news. Among the initial complaints were the lighting, and the temple violating the Interlocal agreement between the city and county that designated the area to protect the area against higher density developments. The development, opponents claimed, limits all developments to homes, built on lots no less than half an acre, and limited to 2 stories. The local neighborhood has no curbs, gutters, sidewalks, or streetlights, all of which feature in the Church’s proposal.^[5]Schaeffer, James, and Caroline Bleakley. “Northwest Las Vegas neighbors say LDS temple would ‘stick out like sore thumb’.” KLAS, 21 Mar. 2024, www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/northwest-las-vegas-neighbors-say-lds-temple-would-stick-out-like-sore-thumb.

2024 April 5

On 5 April, the Church asked to delay discussion of their request for a zoning change for the parcels in the project area, and their request for an amendment of the city’s general plan map. The meeting with the planning commision, originally slated for April 9, was pushed to May 14 instead. By the time of the requested meeting change, city Planning Commision Staff had already ruled that the temple did not conflict with the Interlocal Agreement. While residents involved int he drawing up of the agreement disagreed, the Staff noted that the agreement does not cover amending the plan or rezoning for civic uses such as Government, school, and religious facilities. For their part, Residents expressed concern that once started, further erosion of the agreement would be inevitable.^[6]Schaeffer, James. “Las Vegas LDS temple meeting moved, residents share testimony.” KLAS, 5 Apr. 2024, www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-lds-temple-meeting-moved-residents-share-testimony.

2024 April 5

Despite the meeting being rescheduled, Residents still showed at the April 9 meeting to express their concerns and protext the development. Adding to their prior concerns, residents were also expressing concern about the potential noise and traffic. No action was taken at that time by the Commision, the topic having been rescheduled, but residents concerns were heard just the same.^[7]Allen, Mike. “Lone Mountain LDS Temple Discussion Pushed Back; Neighbors Discuss Importance of Rural Identity.” https://www.fox5vegas.com, 10 Apr. 2024, www.fox5vegas.com/2024/04/10/lone-mountain-lds-temple-discussion-pushed-back-neighbors-discuss-importance-rural-identity.

2024 April 20

In protest focused primarily on the size of a 70,000 square foot building in the residential neighborhood, residents critical of the project flew a 7-foot tethered weather balloon at the proposed 216-foot height of the temple.^[8]Schaeffer, James, and Linsey Lewis. “Las Vegas Balloon Ascends In Protest Of Lds Temple.” KLAS, 21 Apr. 2024, www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-balloon-ascends-in-protest-of-lds-temple.

2024 May 14 – Planning Commision Meeting

A crowd estimated in the thousands, both for and against, showed for the Planning Commission meeting at City Hall. Supporters of the project, having planned ahead, wore Navy Blue (often in the form of BYU logo clothing) to show solidarity. Jennifer Lazovich, Lawyer for the Church, expressed that the size was necessary for the building use, and the height and lighting are rooted in religious symbolism. Opponents again expressed their stated concerns. In the end, the Commission approved the plan and amendment, in a vote of 6-0 in favor with one abstention. The plan then moved forward for consideration by the City Council.^[9]Avery, Taylor R. “Las Vegas LDS Temple Plan Moves Forward; Foes Plan to Continue Fight.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 17 May 2024, www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/las-vegas/las-vegas-lds-temple-plan-moves-forward-foes-plan-to-continue-fight-3050817.

2024 July 10

A closed door meeting hosted by city staff was held to bring together representatives of the Church and Lone Mountain Homeowners. the goal of the meeting was to discuss the propossal and find common ground between the parties. Councilwomen Francis Allen-Palenske, present at the meeting, felt that both parties recieved equal voice, and the conversation was healthy and productive.

A representative for Lone Mountain residents in oposition, Nathan Taylor, a government lobbyist and consultant hired for the occasion, felt that their concerns fell on deaf ears, he having come prepared to negotiate. Instead, he said, it was just a meeting for people to be heard, and no actual negotiation or compromise took place.

Michael Thomson, representing the Church, and Director of Construction for the Special Projects Department, the department that designs, builds, and maintains temples, said that he came into the meeting with the understanding that the point was for people to be heard, and felt that the meeting accomplisshed that.^[10]Schaeffer, James. “Las Vegas LDS temple proposal topic of councilwoman’s closed-door meeting.” KLAS, 11 July 2024, www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-lds-temple-proposal-topic-of-councilwomans-closed-door-meeting.

2024 July 17 – City Council Meeting

As with the planning commision meeting, a packed house featuring representativves from both sides of the dissagreement met for the City Councils review of the proposed temple. On the podiums belonging to the councilmembers were twoo stacks of paper printed comments. one stack againsst the proposal, and a nother stack, visibly about 2 and one half times the size of the other, with a sign labeling them “for” the proposed project.

Residents claimed foul, stating that suporters packed the meeting with individuals not actually in the affected neighborhood (though, it is important to note that individuals belonging to the Church and not living in the neighborhood will also be heavily afeected by the outcome.

During the Meeting, it came out that the spire, being over 200 feet, would be required by the FAA to have a red blinking light atop it. In response, Church representatives agreed to lower the spire to 196 feet. Concerns over lighting and water usage were also addressed, with a demonstration that the lighting on the temple would be so gentle and mild it would not even reflect on distant portions of the temple site. Additionally, it was pointed out the landscaping featured no grass, no water features, and more than 200 trees (using much less water than sod), greater than the number required by the city.

The City council proposed a future dark sky ordinance be passed, which would require the temple to turn of lights at some point of the nicght, to which the Church representatives agreed, as long as it was a unilateral ordinance, and not specifically targeting the temple project.

The City Council unanimously approved the project.^[11]Lewis, Linsey. “Las Vegas City Council unanimously votes to pass proposed Lone Mountain LDS temple.” KLAS, 18 July 2024, https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-city-council-to-vote-on-proposed-lds-temple/^[12]Walch, Tad. “Vote Is in: Las Vegas City Council Approves Lone Mountain Nevada Temple After Months of Debate.” Deseret News, 18 July 2024, https://www.deseret.com/faith/2024/07/18/las-vegas-city-council-approves-lone-mountain-nevada-temple-after-months-of-debate/

2024 August 12 – Lawsuit

Less than a month after the City Council’s approval, the City was hit waith a lawsuit from the neighborhood accusing the decision of having been illeagal to begin with.[refS]chaeffer, James. “City of Las Vegas targeted with legal action by rural preservation association group over LDS temple vote.” KLAS, 13 Aug. 2024, https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/city-of-las-vegas-targeted-with-legal-action-by-rural-preservation-association-group-over-lds-temple-vote.[/ref] The basis of the claim is the City’s interpritation of the Interlocal Agreement, which Eric Schwabb, attorney for the neighborhood says “Las Vegas City Council abused its discretion and the findings/rulings.” He further stated “The City of Las Vegas were not supported by substantial evidence.”

Additionally, Schwabb has accused the lawfirm representaing the Church of impropriety. “Lone Mountain, public records seen by DailyMail.com show the LDS law firm gave $70,000 in individual campaign contributions,” Schwab wrote. “Shortly before it purchased the parcel of land on which it intends to build.” The contributions, which were legal, were made by the lawfirm to election campaings for councilmembers after the temple land was purchased. No evidence has yet arrisen that there was either conection betweeen the contributions and the temple, or consideration of the temple or the cChurch due to the contributions.

Another complaint by the lawsuit is that the city failed to follow proper notification procedures for the City Council vote.

Lastly, the lawsuit claims inconsistency, as a prior owner of the land was ruled against in his plans to built homes on the lot due to the density of homes being too high according to the Interlocal Agreement.^[13]Schaeffer, James. “Las Vegas residents on horseback target city council with legal action following controversial LDS temple vote.” KLAS, 17 Aug. 2024, https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-residents-on-horseback-target-city-council-with-legal-action-following-controversial-lds-temple-vote/ While the city has not commented on the lawsuit, it being their policy not to do so, they have previously indeicated their belief that the project is not covered by the interlocal agreement, due to being civic rather than residential (see above, 2024 April 05.)

The lawsuit is against the City and their actions, not the Church and the temple directly.

Dedication

Dedication Order

The Lone Mountain Nevada Temple will be the ninth temple built in the same city as another operating temple, the Las Vegas Nevada Temple (1989), making Las Vegas, Nevada, the ninth city in the world to have more than one temple, following South Jordan, Utah; Provo, Utah; Lima, Peru; St. George, Utah; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Rexburg, Idaho; Santiago, Chile; and Mexico City, Mexico.

Details

Location

Exterior

Interior

Region

TEMPLES IN UNITED STATES (EXCEPT UTAH) _{by state}

Alabama	2	Birmingham · Huntsville
Alaska	1	Anchorage · Fairbanks
Arizona	7	Gilbert · Mesa · Phoenix · Queen Creek · Snowflake · The Gila Valley · Tucson · Yuma
Arkansas	1	Bentonville
California	12	Bakersfield · Feather River · Fresno · Los Angeles · Modesto · Newport · Oakland · Redlands · Sacramento · San Diego · San Jose · Yorba Linda
Colorado	4	Colorado Springs · Denver · Fort Collins · Grand Junction
Connecticut	1	Hartford
Florida	5	Fort Lauderdale · Jacksonville · Orlando · Tallahassee · Tampa
Georgia	1	Atlanta
Hawaii	4	Honolulu · Kahului · Kona · Laie
Idaho	10	Boise · Burley · Coeur d’Alene · Idaho Falls · Meridian · Montpelier · Pocatello · Rexburg · Teton River · Twin Falls
Illinois	2	Chicago · Nauvoo
Indiana	1	Indianapolis
Iowa	1	Des Moines
Kansas	1	Wichita
Kentucky	1	Louisville
Louisiana	1	Baton Rouge
Maryland	1	Washington D.C.
Massachusetts	1	Boston
Michigan	2	Detroit · Grand Rapids
Minnesota	1	St. Paul
Missouri	3	Kansas City · Springfield · St. Louis
Montana	3	Billings · Helena · Missoula
Nebraska	1	Winter Quarters
Nevada	4	Elko · Las Vegas · Lone Mountain · Reno
New Jersey	1	Summit
New Mexico	2	Albuquerque · Farmington
New York	2	Manhattan · Palmyra
North Carolina	2	Charlotte · Raleigh
North Dakota	1	Bismarck
Ohio	3	Cincinnati · Cleveland · Columbus
Oklahoma	2	Oklahoma City · Tulsa
Oregon	3	Medford · Portland · Willamette Valley ·
Pennsylvania	3	Harrisburg · Philadelphia · Pittsburgh
South Carolina	1	Columbia
Tennessee	3	Knoxville · Memphis · Nashville
Texas	10	Austin · Dallas · El Paso · Fort Worth · Houston South · Houston · Lubbock · McAllen · McKinney · San Antonio
Utah	30
Virginia	3	Richmond · Roanoke · Winchester
Washington	6	Columbia River · Moses Lake · Seattle · Spokane · Tacoma · Vancouver
Wisconsin	1	Milwaukee
Wyoming	3	Casper · Cody · Star Valley

Sources and Citations