Gilbert Arizona Temple

On October 26, 2009, construction vehicles arrived at the Gilbert Arizona Temple site in preparation for a project to bury the power lines that surround the site. The burial of these lines will significantly beautify the intersection where the temple will be located. The Church has offered to shoulder the entire expense of the project.

On Tuesday, September 29, 2009, the Gilbert Town Council (watch video) unanimously passed the Minor General Plan Amendment, zoning classification change, and Conditional Use Permit necessary to permit construction of the temple. Nearly 70 citizens filed to speak in favor of the project, and no one filed to speak in opposition of the project. Although the design of the temple has not yet been finalized, concept drawings presented at the hearing helped to illustrate the height of the building, which was the main focus of the presentation by Paul Gilbert, legal representative for the Church. He defended the proposed height of the building and spire as consistent with nearby facilities, most notably the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center; consistent with other Latter-day Saint temples; and as an important expression of religious devotion—a symbol of reaching to heaven.

On Wednesday, September 2, 2009, the Planning Commission (watch video) heard presentation on the Gilbert Arizona Temple project. Public comment was made by just one citizen, who spoke in favor of the project. Following the hearing, the Commission carried motions recommending to the Town Council approval of the requested Minor General Plan Amendment, zoning classification change, and Conditional Use Permit (view staff report). Concept drawings presented to the public show a temple with a single central spire rising 180 feet high with beautiful circular gardens flanking the north and south sides. A circular feature is also shown on the east side (or front side) of the temple, which terminates a strip of landscaping that stretches the length of the parking lot.²

On Wednesday, August 5, 2009, legal representative for the Church, Paul Gilbert, explained to the Planning Commission: "[The Gilbert Arizona Temple] is going to be a very unique temple. It won't follow the typical pattern and paragon that has been used in many of the other temples. It's designed to be a very special temple and, therefore, it is taking longer to do the details on coming forth with the building and what it will look like." Mr. Gilbert reassured the Commission that the final design review package would be submitted "very shortly." For illustrative purposes, however, the recently dedicated Draper Utah Temple was used on the preliminary site plans until final Church approval was received on the design of the Gilbert temple.³ Overseeing the design is Gregory B. Lambright of Architekton—an architectural firm located in Tempe.⁴

The Planning Commission (watch video) discussed three requests put forth by the applicant for a 21-acre parcel on the southeast corner of Greenfield and Pecos Roads that would permit construction of the 180-foot Gilbert Arizona Temple and a future adjoining meetinghouse. The requests include (1) a Minor General Plan Amendment to change the land use classification from Residential to General Commercial, (2) an ordinance to change the zoning from Single Family to General Commercial with a Planned Area Development Overlay, and (3) a use permit to allow a Large Scale Religious facility within a General Commercial zoning district. No formal action was taken by the Commission at this study session.⁵

Proposed PAD modifications—many of which stem from burial of unsightly utility lines—also include modifications intended to beautify the temple site including parking-lot-shielding berms, a 6-to-8-foot perimeter view fence, meandering pedestrian sidewalks, a collector street center median, and possible roundabout. The Church has offered to shoulder the entire expense of the costly utility line project, an act which was heartily commended by Commissioner Chad Fuller.⁶

On Tuesday, December 2, 2008, the Gilbert Town Council granted its approval of a Major General Plan Amendment that will allow commercial development on approximately 98 acres south of Pecos Road between Mercy Road and Greenfield Road, just east of the Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and across from the Gilbert Arizona Temple site. The amendment designates 49 acres of general office, 28 acres of business park, 4 acres of community commercial (an existing Swim Kids USA facility), 5 acres of public facility or institution, and 12 acres of community commercial on the corner of Pecos and Greenfield—an intersection shared by Discovery Park, Eagle's Aerie School, and the temple. This intersection generated the bulk of public comment, which included cautions from Gilbert residents that Gilbert has too much retail space and that commercial development may not be compatible with surrounding uses, particularly the temple.⁷

Paul Gilbert of Beus Gilbert PLLC, the Scottsdale law firm that is coordinating the temple project, notes that some of the land uses in the amendment may not be compatible with the temple's sacred use. The project coordinators would like to see businesses come to the area that complement the temple and a surrounding custom-home development, tentatively named Greenfield Farms, which has entered preliminary discussions. "We would like to see residential," says Mr. Gilbert. "A quality office would probably be acceptable."⁸

Don Evans, spokesman for the church in Arizona, says the April 2008 announcement of temples to be built in Gilbert and in the Gila Valley came in response to demands currently placed on the state's two operating temples in Mesa and in Snowflake. In recent years, the Church has built temples on a smaller scale. Evans notes that the Mesa temple is more than six times the size of the temple in Snowflake.⁹

This two-temple announcement for Arizona was the first temple announcement made by President Thomas S. Monson since he became president of the Church in February 2008. "It is my personal priority to make sure members of the Church have access to the blessings of the temple," said President Monson. "It is here where members learn of their divine origin and destiny; where they are strengthened spiritually as individuals and as families. Temples are sanctuaries from the storms of life."¹⁰

Located in the fast-growing Southeast Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area—just south of Mesa—Gilbert and its surrounding communities enjoy a high concentration of Church members, who attend the Mesa Arizona Temple, which currently serves 76 stakes throughout much of Arizona. The edifice will make the sacred ordinances of the temple more accessible to the members of these communities.