LDS church applies for smaller temple in Fairview, Texas, after reaching agreement; new rendering released

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says it has filed a new application for a controversial temple in Fairview, Texas, after reaching an agreement with the town. On Tuesday, the church released a new rendering of a smaller temple.

The initial plans for the temple were released in December 2023, more than a year after the temple itself was originally announced to be built in Prosper, Texas, in October 2022. Those original plans called for a multi-story, 44,000-square-foot building.

A memorandum from a June 2024 town council meeting in Fairview said the spire of the original temple would have been nearly 174 feet tall. In November 2024, the church came to an initial agreement for a temple with a smaller spire and a smaller footprint: A building of about 30,000 square feet with a 120-foot-tall spire.

With the announcement of the newest rendering and application, church spokesperson Sam Penrod told ABC4.com that the latest dimensions of the temple are those that were agreed upon during November’s mediation with the town.

“After the Town of Fairview rejected the Church’s first application, the Church and the Town reached a mediated agreement for a smaller temple,” church spokesperson Meliss McKneely said in a statement. “The Town Council unanimously endorsed the agreement, but the mayor later called for more concessions.”

Earlier this month, local representatives of the church sent a letter to Fairview Mayor Henry Lessner and the Fairview Town Council, saying the church’s “religious rights could be compromised.” The letter also hinted at possible legal action if the town’s council withdrew its support for compromised plans.

After receiving the letter, Lessner previously told ABC4.com that the town had met its commitments after mediation efforts in November, while the church had not done so yet.

The church’s announcement of the new application came about a week after Lessner initially spoke out against the letter. On Tuesday, McKneely said the mayor had recently expressed his support of the latest agreement and expressed his “belief that the Town Council will stand by its word.”

“We look forward to continuing our association with the community as good neighbors and friends,” McKneely said.

ABC4.com has reached out to local leaders in Fairview, Texas, for comment on the latest developments but has not yet heard back.

Aubree B. Jennings, Matthew Drachman, and Spencer Mahon contributed to this report.