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See the new name and location announced for the former Tooele Valley Utah Temple

Exterior rendering of the Deseret Peak Utah Temple. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The new site location for the newly renamed Deseret Peak Utah Temple in Tooele, Utah Credit: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

The temple formerly known as the Tooele Valley Utah Temple has a new name and a new site location — the Deseret Peak Utah Temple, planned for northwest Tooele, Utah.

Announced originally at April 2019 general conference by President Russell M. Nelson, the new location for the Deseret Peak temple will be west of the intersection at 2400 North and 400 West in Tooele.

The announcements were made Tuesday, Jan. 19, on Newsroom.

The exterior and interior designs remain the same as depicted in previously released renderings, with the primary exterior rendering first published on April 7, 2020.

The three-story temple will be approximately 70,000 square feet, with a central tower, cast-stone exterior and copper shingles. A new 20,000-square-foot meetinghouse — previously planned for the old site — will be built at the new Tooele location.

Project leaders will begin working with city officials on plans for the Deseret Peak Utah Temple.

With the announcement, the First Presidency expressed gratitude for the faith and prayers of Church members in this area and continued encouragement for all people to treat one another with kindness and Christlike love.

Previously announced on Sept. 25, 2019, the initial site was to be northwest of Erda Way and Highway 36 in Erda, a central location to Tooele Valley and north of Tooele, the namesake county’s seat.

The new site location for the newly renamed Deseret Peak Utah Temple in Tooele, Utah
The new site location for the newly renamed Deseret Peak Utah Temple in Tooele, Utah | Credit: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

The new location in Tooele is about 2.6 miles miles southwest of the previous location.

After the Erda site was originally identified for the temple, the Tooele County Commission in May 2020 approved a recommendation by Church officials to rezone 167 adjacent acres to a planned community zone, with the plan to include 32 acres of open space, walking trails, parks and more than 400 residences.

Some local residents voiced concerns about the high density and impact on the small, rural community of Erda. After the county commission approved 2-1 to rezone, some residents launched a petition to force the matter to be decided by a public referendum, which couldn’t be done until June 2021.

In August 2020, the Church withdrew its community-development plans.

In an Aug. 18, 2020 letter, the First Presidency wrote: “We acknowledge the efforts of those who have raised questions and sincere concerns about the Tooele Valley temple project, including the residential development surrounding the temple. There is a sincere desire on the part of the Church to avoid discord in the community.

“Therefore, regardless of the outcome of a pending signature-gathering effort, we have determined to withdraw our rezoning request for the residential portion of the temple project.”

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