The letter, circulated on social media, states “the Church is now in the final stages of working with Wasatch County staff to comply with relevant zoning, development code, and ordinance requirements.”
A church spokesperson confirmed the letter was shared by local church leaders.
The letter listed seven concerns – from groundwater use to the impact on dark skies to the size of the planned building – and explained the church’s response to each.
“There have been many changes to the Church’s initial proposal to help address issues raised by concerned citizens,” the letter said. “[T]he Church reserves the right to design the temple for the purpose it is built – to unite families for eternity through Gospel ordinances.”
The letter said water pumped out during construction will remain in the Heber Valley groundwater system, and less water will need to be pumped during long-term operation.
It said the spire will be lit with a red light at night due to the Heber Valley Airport’s proximity, and emphasized the temple complies with both FAA requirements and the county’s recently approved lighting regulations.
“All building and site lighting will be turned off from 11 p.m. to one hour before sunrise,” the letter said.
It said the size of the temple is appropriate for the number of LDS members in the region, and a new roundabout should help mitigate traffic around the temple.
Pushing back against concerns that the LDS church hasn’t been transparent enough about the temple plans, the letter said the church has followed all of Wasatch County’s guidelines.
“We invite all citizens who live in Wasatch County to research and study the Church’s application and respectfully provide their comments to county officials about the Church’s proposal to build the temple,” it said.
According to the letter, the temple site plan application will likely be on the agenda for the Wasatch County Planning Commission meeting Oct. 12.
