As Construction Moves Fast, Divide Over 101-Foot Cody LDS Temple Remains Wide

CODY — Now that a controversial Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple is a few months into construction, it appears that the quickly growing building has only hardened the resolve of people both supporting and opposing the building.

The large steeple emanating from the 101-foot temple has been a source of great controversy and contention. Although only the outside frame of the steeple has been constructed so far, the completion of this step in the process still gives a first look at how visible the building will be throughout Cody.

Cody-based social media channels have erupted over the last month over what many temple opponents see as confirmation of their fears that the church will be featured prominently in the city’s skyline.

However, the building can’t be seen from downtown Cody, and it took a trip to the city’s west strip to gain a prominent view of the structure.

Some like Lynn Pitet however, contend that the building’s white color and 24-hour lighting will make it a much more visible structure when completed.

The church provided a positive outlook in a statement provided to Cowboy State Daily.

“While we do not have an official construction update, we are pleased that construction on the Cody Wyoming Temple is progressing beautifully,” said Amy Dansie, the church’s Cody Stake communications director. “We extend our gratitude to the city and the wonderful people of Cody for their support. We can’t wait to invite the community to our upcoming open house, where everyone can come and experience the beauty of the temple together.”

Cody resident Mike Wilson can’t see the temple from his home and believes opposition to the building is overblown.

“I don’t see what they’re all getting so worked up about,” he said.

Hugh Currah, who also said he can’t see the temple from anywhere near his house, said he has no qualms with the building, but would if he lived near it.

“I don’t live near it so I’m not going to complain,” he said. “But if I lived close by, I’d really be upset.”

The Neighbors

In the residential neighborhood surrounding the temple, discontent over the building’s construction is visually apparent based on various signs posted up opposing the project.

Kelly Dingle, who lives across the street from the temple, has the most signs on her property. The most prominent is in her front yard and accuses the city of corruption and collusion as well as dishonest, dishonorable and unholy behavior, which she sees as hypocritical when considering the religious nature of the venue.

“I put a sign up there because they got away with it,” Dingle said. “The city should be ashamed.”

The sign proclaims that “Joseph Smith may turn a blind eye, but Jesus knows this residential zoning exception is the result of city corruption & collusion …”

Dingle and her family moved to Cody from Chicago and bought their home two years ago, shortly before the vote took place to approve the building. She said their time has been “miserable” since.

Now, they’re already planning on moving because of the temple, primarily because Dingle said they have no intention to live across the street from a facility that can hold up to 144 cars in its parking lot alone and will likely bring much more traffic to their quiet neighborhood.

“This would never stand pat in Chicago, there’s no checks and balances,” Dingle said. “The local papers don’t get involved. They’re getting away with it and it’s horrible.”

Dingle said construction on the temple has gone on at times all hours of the day, and her neighbor Lynn Pitet says wildlife like owls, hawks and foxes no longer frequent the area. 

Conversely, Dingle said supporters of the temple like to park their vehicles and gaze fondly at the construction during their lunch breaks.

Pitet and her son Colin live immediately next door to the temple, a home their family has had for 29 years. 

Their backyard, which previously featured an unobstructed view at Cedar and Rattlesnake mountains, now is significantly dominated by the temple and its surrounding construction site.

“It’s honestly impacted the view more than I expected,” Colin Pitet said. “I thought it would be farther out. I did not think it would significantly impact us as much as it has been.”

The Pitets say they’ve had to deal with persistent trash and dust blowing into their home since construction began, even with all the doors and windows closed. Colin Pitet, who slept with his window open for most of the year in the past, now can no longer ever have his window open, as he was starting to deal with serious respiratory issues as a result of the dust blowing in.

Colin Pitet said he would’ve still opposed the temple even if it was built in a different residential neighborhood from his own. His mother and Dingle and others say no one would have opposed the temple if it was built in a different location that didn't negatively impact residents and ignore the city's zoning laws.

A similarly-sized temple was built in Casper last summer, facing no opposition. That church was built in a commercial-type area with no residential housing anywhere nearby.

Another temple built in Billings, Montana, about 20 years ago is in a similar residential neighborhood as the one in Cody, but in that instance the temple preceded the homes surrounding it.

Colin Pitet doesn’t understand why the temple’s location was chosen, and specifically why a location was picked that is one of the farthest spots in town from the nearest highway.

The main reason the temple was chosen for its location was because of a donation of the land from Cody resident Glenn Nielson, a prominent member of the church. Nielson’s grandfather played an important role in Cody’s growth in the mid-20th century and employed many local residents at his Husky Oil Company.

Bad Optics

Dingle believes a misconception exists that people opposing the temple did so with an anti-religious bias against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For Dingle and she says many others, it’s all about how the temple was approved.

“It’s a commercial building being built in a residential area,” Dingle said. “They got a residential zoning exception that they received as an inside job.”

A highly contentious approval process took place before the Cody Planning of Zoning Commission in summer 2023, which ended up in the temple finally getting approved despite confusion and frustration expressed by commission members about the advice they got from their city planner and attorney.

Even during a Wyoming Supreme Court hearing held in February, an attorney representing the church came to the conclusion that the City of Cody had received bad advice from its attorney Scott Kolpitcke.

The former city planner who advised the zoning commission on the project, Todd Stowell, has since resigned from the city. Many rumors have spread that the church, of which Stowell is a member, paid off Stowell's home mortgage, and that he has since moved away from town. 

The Culture

A woman who wished to be identified as “JW” told Cowboy State Daily a “live and let live” mentality has been sorely missing from people opposing the temple. 

She believes the temple will bring upstanding people to Cody and help the local economy and that people should focus on its upsides rather than focus on the negativity.

“I feel sorry for some people in our community who have to learn to open up,” she said. “But I know you’ve got to live and let live.”

JW, a longtime resident, also said similar opposition occurred when a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints church was built in Cody in the past, and now that building is mostly forgotten by the public at large.

Her friend, who Cowboy State Daily interviewed at the same time at a local coffee shop, disagreed, and a short argument ensued between the pair.

“We’ve been swindled by the commissioners and everyone involved,” said her friend, who did not want to be identified because of the volatile nature of the subject in Cody.

From an outsider’s perspective, it’s hard to say what the impact of the temple will be, if any. Although visible from a variety of locations around town, the temple is located in a residential neighborhood, off the beaten track from which most tourists visit. 

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temples are also starting to become more and more common throughout the West.

Meeteetse resident Sam Makovsky said he hadn’t given the temple much thought despite acknowledging its large size. 

“There’s a lot of Mormons around here, they’ve got a lot of money,” he said.

Dingle said people should consider what it means now the temple will be prominently visible from many parts of town, including its world-famous Cody Stampede Grounds that hosts daily Nite Rodeo during the summer months.

“This town shouldn’t be defined by anything besides western culture,” she said.

Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.