Coeur d'Alene Design Review Commission Approves LDS Temple With Lighting Conditions

The three-story steeple at the center of the proposed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in Coeur d'Alene cleared its first major regulatory hurdle last Thursday, but not before commissioners made clear the building's nighttime glow must be reined in before final permits are issued.

The Design Review Commission voted unanimously to approve design plans for the temple and an associated meetinghouse on nearly 11 acres at the corner of Hanley Avenue and Coeur Terre Boulevard, with conditions squarely targeting exterior illumination and its potential impact on the surrounding residential and rural setting.

Commissioner Kori Keller put the central concern plainly. "Considering that that is an upright against a white building that is going to provide visual noise," Keller said, "it is going to have an impact," adding that "it is a beacon to some degree." Commissioner Kevin Jester echoed that assessment from firsthand experience. "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," Jester said. He noted that the temple he had visited was in an urban setting, while Coeur d'Alene's rural context could magnify the effect on surrounding neighborhoods.

The approval requires design firm JRW & Associates to work alongside DRC staff to finalize a lighting plan addressing light spill, glare, fixture selection, cut-off angles and scheduling before final building permits are issued. The commission also reserved the right to require on-site adjustments once construction is complete. Building permit processing may proceed in the meantime, but final permits hinge on staff sign-off on returned lighting submittals, giving the city a concrete enforcement checkpoint.

JRW & Associates presenter Johnny Watson, who described the temple's style as "Gothic Revival" and said the firm designed it to "reflect the regional context" and "eliminate the 'Anywhere USA' look," accepted the conditions without resistance. "We'd be more than happy to provide lighting models," Watson said.

The project calls for a temple just under 30,000 square feet seating about 184 people, anchored by its three-story central steeple. The adjacent meetinghouse would span roughly 17,000 square feet and seat about 538, with two ancillary buildings and a combined parking plan of approximately 266 spaces rounding out the campus. Stained glass windows and ornate masonry are featured throughout the design alongside the exterior illumination that drew the most scrutiny.

The Coeur d'Alene stake president testified that the building will "foster community engagement, worship and service," framing the complex as a community asset beyond its primary religious function.

First announced publicly in late 2024, the project is the first LDS temple planned specifically for North Idaho, with the state hosting several temples elsewhere. Construction is expected to span multiple years once permits and site work begin.

What residents near Hanley Avenue and Coeur Terre Boulevard ultimately see after dark now depends on whether the lighting models Watson's firm submits satisfy DRC staff, and whether any on-site adjustments are required once the building is standing.