The motion to stay construction comes three days after workers arrived at the site of the Heber Valley temple on Center Street, across the street from the Red Ledges neighborhood.
A group of four Red Ledges residents sued Wasatch County in November 2023, shortly after plans for the temple got the green light. They argued it was improper for the county to approve the site plan and development agreement.
A 4th District judge sided with the county and the church in a ruling last month, and on Monday, construction teams arrived on site.
Now, the residents want the court to put a stop to any work on the temple. In the motion filed Aug. 28, they argue the church should wait to build for as long as the lawsuit is being appealed.
The motion argues a stay is necessary to prevent “irreparable harm.”
“Critically, once construction of the Temple project begins – or worse, is completed – the physical and environmental changes to the neighborhood will be effectively irreversible,” it reads.
Since the county and church have waited this long, it adds, no harm would be done by delaying a little longer. Wasatch County Manager Dustin Grabau told KPCW Aug. 25 the church has had a permit to build for nearly two years and could have begun construction sooner.
The residents filed an appeal with the Utah Supreme Court on July 28.
