City may give up easement at Lone Mountain LDS temple site

The Las Vegas Planning Commission is set to vote Tuesday on an item regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ temple being built near Lone Mountain in northwest Las Vegas.

The commission will consider a request to give up a city easement within the 17.5 acres upon which the church has received approval to build a temple. The easement runs along what would have been Park Street had it extended through the property.

“Since planned development is approved for this site, no access to the adjacent property is necessary for roadway, drainage or sewer purposes at the easement location,” according to the city. “The Department of Public Works has no objection to relinquish the City’s interests in these U.S. Government Patent Easements.”

The church’s application noted that easements are commonly placed on underdeveloped land and that those rights can later be abandoned if the areas will not be used for roadways or utilities.

The church is planning a 70,0000-square-foot facility on about 20 acres at Hickman Avenue and Grand Canyon Drive. It will include a steeple reaching a height of almost 200 feet.

The City Council green-lit the project in July, prompting a Clark County coalition to challenge the approval process in court shortly thereafter.

The Nevada Rural Preservation Alliance — which described itself as a nonprofit whose members include affected neighborhood residents — argued in a legal review petition that the city “abused its discretion” and made “errors of law” when it reviewed and approved the project.

The coalition said that the city sidestepped a zoning agreement between the city and the county that aims to limit commercial and industrial projects in residential neighborhoods.

Furthermore, the court petition cited residents’ concerns, including heavy traffic, construction noise, environmental impact and “aggressive lighting.” They alleged that project opponents didn’t have sufficient time to make their case in public meetings.

The request for a legal review against the city was ongoing in Clark County District Court.

The church filed a motion to intervene in the case. The coalition’s attorney argued against it in a filing, writing that unlike a lawsuit, the review has limited scope.

“The relief in question is being sought solely against the City of Las Vegas who made the decisions they did,” the filing said. “No relief is being sought against the LDS Church. The LDS Church remains the owner of the parcels and can still use them.”

The attorney continued: “Additionally, the LDS Church can build on any other property, within regulations, and is not deprived of use of their land if they are not allowed to build a skyscraper or Disneyland temple spewing light forth all over a rural area.”

The church in a filing countered that it is an “indispensable party” in the court case.

In a statement Monday, the church reiterated that the project was approved unanimously.

“The current agenda item does not change any aspect of the approved project,” the church said.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.