The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has filed a lawsuit in state court objecting to the approval of a mixed-use development in Baton Rouge near a local temple.
The Utah-based Temple Corporation of the church filed the lawsuit in Louisiana’s 19th Judicial District to challenge the Metropolitan Council’s July 21 approval of the @Highland project, which consists of 240 residential housing units as well as commercial office space that will make up about 53% of the development.
The church argues that the local government failed to take into account how the development would affect buildings of cultural importance such as the church’s Baton Rouge stake, nearby wetlands and issues dealing with public safety and public health.
Defendants in the lawsuit include the Key Real Estate Co. and the city-parish.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is focused on helping our members worship and try to become more like Jesus Christ,” the local stake president, Eric Bascom, said in an email to the Louisiana Record. “The temple is our most sacred building, and we want to ensure that all the work and studies done are conducive to protecting this sacred building.”
The local temple also indicated that it continues to have good relations with the developer, Key Real Estate Co.
“The developer has been a great neighbor, and the intent is to have proper conversations to ensure our core mission of helping others come to Christ is preserved,” Bascom said.
Documents submitted to the Metropolitan Council show the size of the development to be about eight acres, with 45% of the site dedicated to open space.
Prior to the council’s unanimous approval of the project, a number of residents objected to the development’s potential effects on traffic along Highland Road and voiced concerns about the buildings’ impact on drainage and flood risks in the region.
The developers have said they want to create a commercial venue that will mirror the layout of high-tech campus facilities such as Microsoft.