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

A developer has plans to build a seven story high rise tenement building along the south and west sides of our sanctuary and has asked the Salt Lake City Council to approve a zoning change which will allow the developer to do so.

The current zoning provides Summum protection by not allowing any use of the property that would have any appreciable impact on our adjacent property.

A zoning change that would allow such a high building to tower over our sanctuary will have grave impact by reflecting considerably more noise coming from the freeway directly east of us on to our sanctuary. It will also significantly impact the amount of sunlight our sanctuary receives which will harm our greenhouse and gardens and spiritual practices. There will be times of the year where we receive no sun light at all which also affects our ability to implement solar energy. It will affect the meditations we practice and teach outside and inside our Pyramid temple.

Summum has requested that the Salt Lake City Council not approve the zoning change for the developer. Summum is not opposed to developing the area, but we are opposed to any development that would negatively impact our temple. We are asking the Salt Lake City Council to zone the property in a way that limits building height to 35 feet, and prevents a building design that will significantly impede sun light reaching our sanctuary and increase reflected noise.

We are asking for your help to join with us in petitioning the Salt Lake City Council to not approve the zoning change.