Nevada Residents Reject 216-Foot Mormon Temple That Would Destroy “Rural Charm” of Their Town

By: Julia Mehalko | Published: May 01, 2024

Nevada residents are rejecting the proposed idea of a 216-foot Mormon temple being built in their neighborhood, as they feel the massive building would destroy the “rural charm” of their region.

Thus, a fight between community members and the builders of the Mormon temple has begun, as residents are trying to stop the construction from even beginning.

A Mormon Temple in Las Vegas

Residents of the Lone Mountain neighborhood in Las Vegas, Nevada are banding together to try to put an end to the proposed 216-foot Mormon temple that will be built in their backyards.

A view of one of the Mormon temples located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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These residents feel that the massive structure — at 87,000 square feet and a height of 216 feet — would tower over their community.

Religion Isn’t An Issue

The community of Lone Mountain has clarified that they don’t have an issue with the Mormon faith, or of the idea of a place of worship for Mormons. After all, there are many Mormon churches in the area.

Source: Ben White/Unsplash

Their issue lies with how gigantic the structure is. They feel that this temple will completely ruin the rural neighborhood of Las Vegas.

Residents Value the Mormon Faith

Residents who have an issue with this temple’s construction have explained they value the Mormon faith. “I value their faith, and what they have taught their people,” Erin DeLoe, the treasurer of the Northwest Rural Preservation Association, stated.

A view of one of the Morman temples located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Source: Rick Willoughby/Wikimedia Commons

Resident Brinton Marsden added, “If the Catholic Church wanted to build a basilica across the street, I’d be against that too. This is not a religious thing at all.

Keeping the Neighborhood Rural

The main issue residents have with this temple is that it would completely ruin the rural setting they live in, according to the fiercest critics.

An aerial view of Lone Mountain and the houses around it in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Source: Ken Lund/Wikimedia Commons

“It’s going to stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of a rural setting,” Marsden explained.

Looking at Agreements

Many residents have also pointed out that there’s an Interlocal Agreement between Clark County and the City of Las Vegas. This agreement is supposed to project communities, such as their Lone Mountain community, from urban planning occurring in their rural area.

Some desert bushes seen in Red Rock National Park in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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This agreement has led to the construction of new homes having to face an ample amount of regulations to ensure the area doesn’t become urban.

Home Building in Lone Mountain

For example, this agreement ensures that a home cannot be built on less than half an acre. The home also cannot be more than two stories, and it must be a single-family home.

A close-up look at plants seen in a Las Vegas neighborhood in the daytime.

Source: Joshua Leong/Unsplash

All of this is to ensure that the area stays rural — and just how the residents of Lone Mountain like it.

A Rural Neighborhood in Las Vegas

Though Lone Mountain is just one neighborhood located in the bustling city of Las Vegas, the area is as rural as the city can get.

Birds seen on green grass in front of homes in Las Vegas in the daytime.

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“We have no streetlights, no curbs, no gutters, and no sidewalks, and that’s what we like,” DeLoe explained. “This structure will be as tall as the Durango Casino.”

A Violation of the Interlocal Agreement?

Many residents against the construction of this Mormon temple have pointed to the Interlocal Agreement. They’ve had to follow it when building their own homes. So, why isn’t this agreement being applied to this temple?

Cars parked outside of homes and on a street in a Las Vegas neighborhood.

Source: Joshua Leong/Unsplash

According to a recent report from the City of Las Vegas, the building of this Mormon temple is not in violation of the Interlocal Agreement, as the agreement doesn’t apply to both government or religious buildings.

Fighting Back

To further voice their disagreement with this upcoming construction, local residents gathered together in the Lone Mountain area to further demonstrate their frustration.

The desert and rocks seen in Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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They did this by floating a seven-foot helium balloon up to 216 feet to show just how large this proposed temple is going to be.

Ruining the Rural Neighborhood

Many of these residents truly feel that this temple will ruin the rural area they live in. A massive temple towering over them, with its lights on 24/7, will completely change their rural, quiet neighborhood.

A close-up of trees seen in Las Vegas in the daytime.

Source: Kenny Eliason/Unsplash

Matt Hackley, a resident of Lone Mountain, also expressed his frustration over the project. “It does not fight the neighborhood,” he simply stated.

The Church’s Response

Bud Stoddard, the stake president of the Las Vegas Lone Mountain Stake of the Mormon Church, has stated that he’s aware that some residents are not happy with the temple’s upcoming construction.

A view of one of the Mormon temples in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Source: Rick Willoughby/Wikimedia Commons

While the Church may be aware of this frustration, Stoddard has also claimed that his 3,000 members in the area approve of the temple.