Phoenix Arizona Temple

Architectural Rendering of Originally Proposed Design

On January 26, 2010, two weeks after a meeting with the Phoenix Property Rights Coalition, Church officials announced that the Phoenix Arizona Temple would be redesigned to comply with the residential zoning building height limit of 30 feet. A month earlier, the Church had received unanimous approval from the City Council to rezone the property, which would permit the temple to be 40 feet high. However, opposing neighbors responded by collecting over 16,000 protest signatures, leading the Church to withdraw its application. The redesign is expected to take 8 to 12 months. Church spokesman, Len Greer, says he hopes neighbors will be pleased with the new design, noting that temples are valuable assets to a neighborhood with their peaceful atmosphere and beautiful grounds, often increasing property values.¹

On January 4, 2010, Church officials expressed their desire to work with the Phoenix Property Rights Coalition—the political action committee opposed to the Phoenix Arizona Temple, which delivered over 16,000 signatures to the City of Phoenix on December 31 to overturn the City Council's decision of December 2. A successful petition requires 9,798 valid signatures, which requires the Council to reconsider its decision. If the decision is upheld, the voters weigh in on the issue at the next general election in September 2011 or at a special election in September 2010 if called by the Council. The Church will not be moving the temple to another location; rather, as Paul Gilbert states, "We want to show the neighbors that we can be a good neighbor."²

On December 2, 2009, the Phoenix City Council unanimously approved rezoning with stipulations, which would allow the Church to construct the temple at 40 feet high—10 feet higher than the limit established for surrounding residences—with an 86-foot spire, which is a height unregulated by zoning laws. The issue may not be completely settled, however. A group of opposing neighbors say they will not give up in bringing the issue directly to the voters. City leaders say the group must gather 9,798 legitimate Phoenix-voter petition signatures within 30 days to bring the issue to a September 6, 2011, ballot. Supporters, on the other hand, are eager to begin construction. Church representative Paul Gilbert says, "We're going to make every effort to make peace with the neighbors," noting that several concessions have already been made including turning off the lighting at 10:00 p.m. and changing the color of the exterior.³

On Sunday, November 22, 2009, thirty people with picketing signs stood at the intersection where the temple-meetinghouse site is located to express their opposition to the construction of the temple. Scott Anderson, a spokesperson for the Little Deer Valley Homeowners Association, said, "What it's about is a building that's incompatible with the neighborhood." Neighbors believe that for one, the temple will bring additional traffic that the area cannot handle. The protest came 10 days before the final vote and hearing by the City Council.⁴

On Tuesday, November 10, 2009, the Phoenix Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the rezoning application that would clear the way for construction of the temple. Paul Gilbert, zoning attorney for the Church, said, "I was very pleased with the fact that we got a unanimous vote from the planning commission." He added, "the planning commission did a very thorough job, gave everyone an opportunity to speak. I believe their recommendation will carry substantial weight before the city council."⁵

On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, a staff report addendum was produced clarifying that the actual building height needed is only 40 feet, not 48 feet as previously recorded. Also included in the addendum are a series of stipulations including a revised Traffic Impact Study, dedication of 32 feet of right-of-way for half-street roadway improvements, a Multi Use Recreational Trail Easement, one streetlight, improvements to Pinnacle Peak Road, and landscaping and irrigation in accordance with plans approved by the Development Services Department.⁶

On Thursday, October 15, 2009, the Deer Valley Village Planning Committee formally heard the request by Paul Gilbert, legal representative for the Church, to rezone the site of the Phoenix Arizona Temple and an existing adjacent meetinghouse from residential to planned unit development, which would permit an increase in the building height limit from 30 feet to 48 feet on that parcel. Numerous supporters and opponents crowded into the meeting, which resulted in a lengthy and sometimes passionate debate. Because residents have voiced concern over lighting a white building, the Church made a concession by choosing an earth-tone exterior concrete, which was on display at the meeting. In the end, the Committee voted 6 to 5 to recommend rezoning.⁷

On September 25, 2009, Councilwoman Thelda Williams, who represents north Phoenix, said at her monthly breakfast meeting that there is little she can do to stop the Phoenix Arizona Temple from being built. "A temple is a church, and a church can go in any zone. It has a right to be there," she said. Referring to the Church's rezoning proposal currently in the approval process, she added, "I fully expect the council to pass the proposal in some form." Williams will serve as mediator between the Church and neighbors who are concerned over the height and lighting of the building, ensuring that it is compatible with the neighborhood.⁸

On September 17, 2009, Paul Gilbert of Beus Gilbert PLLC gave a presentation to the public on the rezoning request for the temple at the Deer Valley Village Planning Committee meeting. Because the presentation was for information only—in anticipation of the next meeting where the proposal would be formally considered—no committee action was taken and no public comment was heard.⁹

On September 14, 2009, over 200 residents gathered for a second neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposal for the temple. Some of those in opposition expressed concern over the height, color, and lighting of the 126-foot temple, saying it would disrupt their quality of life because of the light pollution and blocked mountain views. Others said the temple is out of place in the neighborhood and of no benefit to those who do not belong to the Church. Supporters pointed out the benefit of improving the community and increasing property values. One resident expressed his support for developing the empty lot, which he called a "dumping ground," into a beautifully landscaped and softly lit worship facility. Phoenix Councilwoman Thelda Williams noted that not having the building period was not an option, encouraging residents to give constructive input.¹⁰

On July 20, 2009, Beus Gilbert PLLC delivered its second submittal of a rezoning request to allow for construction of the temple—to be located in the Phoenix urban village of Deer Valley—pursuant to review by Deer Valley Village Planner, Kelly P. Walker. Mr. Walker made numerous editorial requests to the first submittal including wording changes and omissions, more detailed explanations, and more specific limits. The revised application includes updated commentary, data, maps, photographs, and renderings of the project. The application will be reviewed again before it continues through a series of additional meetings including a second neighborhood meeting, Village Planning Committee meetings, post-application meeting, Village Planning Committee recommendation meeting, Planning Commission meeting, and City Council meeting. From there, the project moves on to the City development review process for the acquisition of construction permits.¹¹

As part of the rezoning process, the first neighborhood meeting was held in early June 2009 at the meetinghouse adjoining the temple site. Representatives of the Church met with neighbors to present information on the project—including a rendition of the proposed site design—and to answer questions and resolve concerns.

On April 29, 2009, Beus Gilbert PLLC—the law firm representing the Church on the zoning for the Phoenix Arizona Temple site—submitted its initial application on behalf of the Church to the City of Phoenix to rezone an 8.94-acre site on Pinnacle Peak Road from Single-Family Residential to Planned Unit Development to allow for construction of the temple. The acreage includes an existing meetinghouse, a bare lot, and the unlandscaped portions of two residences north of the bare lot.¹²

According to Maricopa County records, the Church purchased the bare lot in September 2000 and the adjacent meetinghouse lot in October 2002. Later, it acquired the two residences directly north of the bare lot at 5207 and 5217 W. Creedance Blvd., one in August 2008, and the other in March 2009. Together, these parcels create an 8.94-acre "L"-shaped site with 4.2 acres already occupied by the meetinghouse.

The rezoning application includes a preliminary rendering of the 126-foot two-story temple—designed by CCBG Architects, Inc.—which features a single central spire topped by a gold angel rising from a perfectly square floor plan. At the centerline of each facade, reaching from the base of the building to the spire, is a decoratively glazed window flanked on either side by ranks of deep architectural pilasters. Set beneath these ranks of pilasters are more decorative windows intended to provide natural light during the day and to give off a warm glow at night.¹³

When President Thomas S. Monson announced that a fifth temple for Arizona would be built in Phoenix, he stated: "The blessings of the temple are eternal. Those who come to this holy house will feel of God's love for His children and come to a greater understanding of their own divine origin and potential as His sons and daughters." The announcement came less than a month following the announcement that temples would be built in Gilbert, Arizona, and in Arizona's Gila Valley. All three temples would serve members belonging to the district of the Mesa Arizona Temple, which was attended by more patrons than any other temple outside of Utah.¹⁴