Fairview Mayor John Hubbard speaks at a news conference where town leaders launched a marketing campaign called FairviewSpeaks. The campaign urges The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to reconsider the height of the 120-foot temple under construction in the town.
FAIRVIEW — Town leaders have launched a public campaign urging The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to reconsider the height of a 120-foot steeple planned for a new temple under construction.
The effort comes weeks after church officials rejected the town’s request to lower the steeple. Fairview, in Collin County 30 miles north of Dallas, has said the structure clashes with the community’s character.
Town leaders gathered Monday to announce the launch of FairviewSpeaks, which includes yard signs, a letter-writing campaign and an appeal to the church’s top leadership.
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Mayor John Hubbard said the issue “has never been about religion” and instead centers on whether a 120-foot structure belongs in a town where residential zoning generally limits building heights to 35 feet.
“Fairview is home to many congregations across many denominations, including a Latter-day Saints meeting house that has been a part of our town for years,” he said. “Those members are our friends and neighbors.”
A yard sign for the FairviewSpeaks campaign urges The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to “be a good neighbor” and lower the height of its 120-foot temple under construction in the town.
Steven Bangerter, executive director of the church’s temple department, previously told the mayor the church could not meet the town’s request.
The church declined to comment on the campaign and instead pointed to a previous statement.
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“The approved temple plan was a compromise made during joint mediation, which significantly reduced the height and size of the Fairview Temple,” the statement said. The church said it negotiated in good faith and intends to proceed with the agreed-upon plan.
The campaign’s yard signs carry the message “Please Be A Good Neighbor” and encourage residents to contact church leaders.
The campaign is funded through $18,000 from a legal defense fund created in 2024 to help defend the town’s zoning ordinances against an anticipated lawsuit from the church.
The council approved the 120-foot steeple more than a year ago after previously rejecting a proposal exceeding 170 feet.
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Hubbard said officials agreed to the compromise because they feared the cost of litigation.
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“They were a multibillion-dollar corporation, we have $3 million in reserves, so we were afraid that we would get litigated. Even if we went to court, we would lose,” Hubbard said.
Signs displayed at the construction zone of the Fairview Texas Temple by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 in Fairview.
Hubbard and Mayor Pro Tem Rich Connelly voted against the permit, saying they wanted negotiations to continue.
Resident Pamela Sailor said the dispute has divided the community.
“For individuals who spend a lot of time doing good in the community, which is what [the] LDS community is known for, and protecting and loving their neighbors, this is just the antithesis of that,” she said. “I urge you to listen to the residents, be a good neighbor.”
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Construction on the temple, which sits on an 8.16-acre site along Stacy Road, began in February and is expected to take about three years.
With construction underway, Hubbard said residents hope church leaders will agree to further discussions before the steeple is erected.
“We just want to be heard,” he said.
More information is available at FairviewSpeaks.com