2025-09-12 UPDATE
Salt Lake City has rescinded the approval of the apartment building plans pending further information from the developer based on our claim that the structure will affect us. The hearing that was scheduled for Sept. 18, 2025, has been cancelled.

Our struggle is not yet over, but this is welcome news. We very much appreciate all of you who have supported us!

The Summum temple and sanctuary has provided a peaceful environment for people on a spiritual path for close to fifty years, attracting people from all over the world, and now it is being threatened.

Salt Lake City changed zoning and approved plans for a developer to build a ten story apartment building rising over 100 feet high along the south side of our sanctuary and a multi-story parking garage along the west side. Despite raising concerns repeatedly since 2020 about this planned development, we have been completely ignored.

Such a structure will tower above our sanctuary and will impact the amount of sunlight we receive. It will harm our greenhouse and gardens and spiritual practices. There will be times of the year where we receive no sun light at all. It will affect the meditations we practice and teach outside and inside our temple. We regard this as a direct attack upon our ability to practice our religion.

Summum is appealing the approval of this building and has obtained legal representation. On Thursday, September 18 at 5:00pm Mountain Time, the city will hold a Zoom meeting to hear our appeal.

Rendition of the proposed apartment building. On the opposite side is where Summum is located. We will be situated between I-15 and the building which will reflect further freeway noise upon us.

To give you a sense of scale, the building will rise higher than the telephone pole seen at the far back, and it will be right beside our sanctuary.

The public is able to attend this meeting, but is not allowed to speak. Nevertheless, for those of you who appreciate Summum, we welcome and encourage you to attend as your presence may show support for our cause. You can join the Zoom meeting through the link below when the time comes.

https://bit.ly/slc-appeals-09182025
Thursday, September 18, 2025
5:00pm Mountain Time
- Cancelled -

Send SLC a comment and voice your objection

Salt Lake City is accepting comments supporting our appeal. For anyone who has learned the Summum meditations and has spent time at Summum doing the meditations, we encourage you to send an email to the city objecting to this development. In the email, the main thing to point out is that you have spent time at Summum practicing the meditations and the light of the Sun plays a very important role in the meditations. It is a religious exercise that should be protected.

Salt Lake City requires any comments be received by Sept. 17, 5:00pm Mountain Time. The email should reference the appeal case number.

Send to: cassie.younger@slc.gov
Subject: PLNPCM2024-01450 Appeal