FAIRVIEW, Texas — Fairview City Council decided Tuesday night not to vote on a controversial permit request, and instead revisit the issue in August.
The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints has proposed to build a large temple next to an existing church off Stacy Road. The McKinney Texas Temple is one of eight other worship buildings in operation, announced, or under construction in the state of Texas.
The 44,000-square-foot building would include a spire nearly 174 feet tall. That’s 16 stories tall, and notably, much taller than city code allows.
Hundreds of people showed up Tuesday night to council, many to voice their opposition to the size of the temple. They told council members, during public comment, a temple that tall is un-neighborly, obtrusive and disrespectful.
They also said height restrictions are written into city code for a reason, to keep the peace and charm of Fairview's country feel.
But the church and its supporters have argued the spire height is constitutionally protected from zoning limits because it serves a religious purpose.
Many members of the church spoke tonight about the importance of the temple’s size and begged council to consider their side.
After nearly three hours, council decided to continue Tuesday's public hearing in August. Instead of voting in the moment, the mayor said, they'd allow the church two months to return with a proposal more reasonable in size.