Lighting concerns shape approval of Coeur d’Alene LDS Temple
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COEUR D’ALENE (Coeur d’Alene Press) — The Coeur d’Alene Design Review Commission approved The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple and meetinghouse design plans, with conditions, Thursday after a few hours of discussion and presentation during its public hearing.
The DRC voted unanimously to approve the plans under the conditions that the final design be substantially similar to the design that the DRC approves and that design firm JRW and Associates work alongside DRC staff to determine the best course of action regarding the external lighting of the building.
The building will sit on nearly 11 acres on the corner of Hanley Avenue and Coeur Terre Boulevard.
The temple style was described as “Gothic Revival” by JRW & Associates presenter Johnny Watson. The firm designed the temple to “reflect the regional context” and “eliminate the ‘Anywhere USA’ look.”
The temple is to be constructed with white brick and measure just under 30,000 square feet. It will feature stained glass windows and ornate masonry but the most notable feature of the temple will be its three-story tall steeple at its center. The temple will also have lights along the building shining onto its exterior walls.
That the white brick temple would be externally illuminated, especially the three-story steeple, drew criticism during the hearing from members of the DRC because of possible light pollution and excess visual noise.
“Considering that that is an upright against a white building that is going to provide visual noise,” said commissioner Kori Keller, “it is going to have an impact,” and that “it is a beacon to some degree.”
Commissioner Kevin Jester shared similar comments.
“I had recently been in a community where there was a temple and I was there at night and the lights were on and it was imposing,” he said.
He also noted that the temple he had seen was in an urban setting and that the Coeur d’Alene one was in a rural setting, possibly creating issues for surrounding neighborhoods.
JRW & Associates said the Latter-day Saints and their firm would work to comply with conditions proposed by the DRC.
“We’d be more than happy to provide lighting models,” Watson said.
Commissioners said they were impressed with the plans and would work together to find a solution to the lighting issue.
The temple and meetinghouse were announced in November and expect to be an important pillar for not only Latter-day Saints but Coeur d’Alene as a whole.
“We are very excited and enthusiastic about the building of this structure,” said Ryan Johnson, the Coeur d’Alene stake president, during the hearing. “It is a place of worship, a place where members of the church make commitments to serve God and to serve others and as such, it encourages community engagement and goodwill.”
Several members of the public spoke in support of the project.
“We are always looking for safe, beautiful places for us as a family to enjoy outside together,” said Rachel Snow. “I know that these grounds will provide that for not just my family, but for the community and our neighbors.”