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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
“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?
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.
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.
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.
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.