The town council approved the temple’s construction, including a 120-foot spire
The town council approved the temple’s construction, including a 120-foot spire
FAIRVIEW, Texas — A yearlong debate over a proposed temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fairview has finally come to a close after the Town Council voted to approve construction, including a 120-foot spire.
The decision came during a late-night meeting Tuesday, following months of public hearings, legal discussions, and strong opinions from both supporters and opponents of the project.
“This has been an extraordinarily difficult decision,” one council member said during the meeting.
Wednesday, Church spokesperson Melissa McKneely expressed gratitude for the council’s approval.
“We are so grateful. We are appreciative to the Town Council,” McKneely told WFAA. “We know it will be a beautiful addition to the community.”
However, not everyone in the community welcomed the outcome.
“It’s disrespectful and heartbreaking,” said Lisa Foradori, a nearby resident who opposed the height of the temple.
Marlo Ballard, another neighbor, said the building’s height was out of character with the rural town’s aesthetic.
“It’s just not congruent with the character of Fairview,” Ballard said.
The temple was originally proposed with a 174-foot spire — significantly above the town’s zoning limits. Since May 2024, residents have raised concerns that the height of the temple would ruin the town’s country feel.
While council members noted that the final approved height of 120 feet was still higher than what some residents hoped for, they said the threat of a lawsuit and the cost of legal defense played a role in the decision.
“None of us are pleased with this, but it is what we think we need to do,” one council member said during the meeting.
Opponents of the temple’s height argued that other alternatives were available.
“They had other alternatives,” Foradori said, including building in a more commercial part of town or lowering the spire further.
McKneely acknowledged the division the project has caused, adding she hoped time would help bring healing.
“It makes me sad that there’s been a lot of misunderstandings and mischaracterizations about this project, and I hope in time we’ll be able to find unity,” she said.
Ballard said they will live in peace with those who worship at the temple, but that unity may be a long road.
“To them, [the spire] will be a symbol of love and hope,” she said. “To us, it will be a symbol of them imposing their will on us, and I don’t see myself getting over that.”
Construction of the temple is expected to take several years.