LDS Church files to be added as a defendant to temple lawsuit

HEBER VALLEY, Utah (ABC4) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed against Wasatch County regarding the construction of the Heber Valley Temple.

The original lawsuit was filed in November 2023, challenging Washington County over the approval to build the Church’s Heber Valley Temple. The temple would sit on an 18-acre property just outside of Heber City’s limits. The temple as approved would stand 200 feet in height and be about 88,000 square feet.

Wasatch County had approved the controversial temple following nearly a year of highly contested debate between those who were for and those who were against its construction. While the approval came with a few concessions from the Church and several studies, its approval remains a controversial decision.

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The four plaintiffs said the temple will force nearby residents to “noise, light and disturbances” created by the temple. The plaintiffs further said the night sky would be affected by lights used to illuminate the temple. According to the lawsuit, the only process to appeal a Wasatch County Council decision is through the courts.

On Monday, Jan. 22, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it should be involved in the lawsuit filed against Wasatch County as the Church owns the property, applied for the development and wants to build the temple.

“The Church owns the property and desires to build the temple. It therefore has an interest in defending the development documents that the plaintiffs seek to reverse,” Attorneys for the Church said in the motion. “The plaintiffs’ interests in this action are adverse to the Church.”

A decision to add the Church as a defendant in the litigation has not yet been made, as of Wednesday morning.

A lawsuit only represents one side of the story. A full version of the lawsuit filed and the Church’s motion to intervene can be found below.

WASATCH-COUNTY-LAWSUIT-COMPLAINTDownload

LDS-CHURCH-MOTION-TO-INTERVENEDownload

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