Seven weeks of private and public tours are planned at the Mesa Arizona Temple, 101 S. LeSueur in Mesa, with thousands of people expected to attend.
The Mesa Board of Adjustment on Sept. 1 voted unanimously in a consent agenda with other items to approve a special-use permit for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints event to exceed a duration of four consecutive days, with Vice Chair Nicole Lynam and board member Ethel Hoffman absent.
“The Mesa Temple Open Committee is expecting several hundred thousand visitors during the seven-week period of the open house. It is further anticipated that depending on the day of the week and hour of the day, between a few hundred and perhaps a thousand per hour at the busier times,” W. Ralph Pew of Pew & Lake PLC said in a written special-use permit narrative.
The zoning ordinance allows for special events in all zoning districts but they are limited to four special events a year with a maximum duration of four days per event, Staff Planner Evan Balmer said in a study session before the Sept. 1 Mesa Board of Adjustment meeting.
“This is a request for a special-use permit to exceed the duration of an event,” he said. “The temple recently remodeled and is opening for an open house. The request is for a seven-week special event from Oct. 4-Nov. 20 to allow tours of the remodeled building... The tours actually start on the south side of the site and they kind of follow that ... line through the building and then there’s a hosting tent on the north side of the building and then they would funnel traffic back out to Main Street.”
The open house will be on the entire 17-acre site of the Mesa Arizona Temple, from Main Street south to Second Avenue between LeSueur and Hobson, according to a written staff report.
“There will be no outdoor sound projections or speakers, as this event is meant to be relatively quiet and reverent,” it states. “To emphasize public safety and accommodate parking demands, the applicant is encouraging carpooling and the use of light rail to and from the event. To safely accommodate pedestrian traffic, parts of LeSueur and Second Avenue will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic.”
Five special event parking areas have been identified — northeast of Mesa Drive and Main Street, southeast and northeast of LeSueur and Second Avenue, and northeast and southeast of Horne and Second Avenue, according to a pedestrian circulation map.
A comment card read into the record by Chair Alexis Wagner in support of the special-use permit included concerns over driveways on LeSueur and First being blocked as pedestrians made their way from parking to the church, and trash trucks not having access.
Pew is the applicant. Temple Corp. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints, a Utah nonprofit corporation, is the owner.
“The Mesa Arizona Temple was the first temple built in Arizona by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was originally named the Arizona Temple. Today, the church has five temples within the state of Arizona and the word Mesa was added to distinguish its location, pioneer heritage and legacy. The Mesa Arizona Temple was first announced by the church on Oct. 3, 1919, was dedicated and opened approximately eight years later in October 1927,” Pew said in the special-use permit narrative.
The total cost of the renovations is not available, Jennifer Wheeler, media specialist for the Metro Phoenix Communication Council of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in an email in response to questions.
“Unfortunately, the church does not discuss the cost of building or renovating temples,” she said.
Recent renovations at the Mesa Arizona Temple , Pew said, include:
Exterior maintenance including new roofing and drainage systems;
Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and HVAC upgrades;
Interior improvements consistent with the historical character of the building;
Replacement of the furniture and finishes;
Preservation and augmentation of the nine historic murals;
Replacement of the windows consistent with the originals:
Major renovation of the grounds that preserves shade trees, replaces the reflection pools, introduces new garden spaces and better accommodates the Easter pageant;
Demolition of the current visitors’ center;
Construction of a new visitors’ center and FamilySearch center across the street to the west.
Oct. 4-Nov. 20 will be the third time since its construction in the 1920s that the Mesa Arizona Temple will be open for public tours, Pew said.
“Please note that from Oct. 4 to Oct. 15, several private tours will be given; for example the contractors who worked on the temple as well as the residents in the adjacent neighborhoods. Visitors can enjoy the temple grounds and gardens year-round, but this is a rare opportunity to tour the temple where each visitor will experience beautiful architecture, inspiring murals, handcrafted woodwork, masonry, art and other finishes becoming this sacred building. Everyone is welcome,” he said.
The temple is to be rededicated on Dec. 12, 2021, by Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the first presidency of the church, Pew said.
For information on the open house, go to mesatemple.org/open-house.
The seven-member Mesa Board of Adjustment conducts public meetings to hear and decide requests for variances, special-use permits and interpretations of the city of Mesa zoning ordinance and sign code. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years, according to the city’s website.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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