The town council of Fairview late Tuesday evening, after a four-hour meeting, decided unanimously to deny the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints’ proposal to build the 45,000 square foot temple at 65 feet high with a 173-foot spire.

Hundreds of people packed into the council meeting Tuesday night as town officials heard public comment about whether or not to approve a conditional-use permit for the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints to construct the large temple.

Most of the debate centered around the size of the temple and its spire. At the last June 4 meeting, close to 2,000 church members showed up and so did hundreds of Fairview residents in opposition. At that meeting, the town decided to postpone the decision.

The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints wants to build a 45,000-square-foot temple building that is 65 feet high with a 173-foot high spire. Mayor Henry Lessner, of Fairview, told WFAA that town ordinance only allows for a 35-foot high building on that property because it sits within a residential district.

“It is literally twice the size of this [city hall],” said Mayor Lessner. “[This] is a very large building being put into a residential area of our town. This is not about anything but a zoning issue.”

The church said at the June 4 meeting it made a concession and had proposed a spire height of 158 feet, 15 feet lower than initially proposed.

“We met with town leadership and offered concessions last month. They declined our offer and did not offer anything in exchange,” said Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints spokeswoman Melissa McKneely.

Read article here: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fairview-texas-lds-church-temple-proposal/287-0c59ab71-879a-430e-9b46-fefccd72c7a8