PROVO, Utah (ABC 4 News) – Neighbors in the Pleasant View neighborhood of Provo say they aren't upset about the Missionary Training Center expansion at BYU, they're just worried about the size as well as the proximity of the new building; the 160-foot tall building will be just 400 feet from their homes.
They expressed those concerns at Tuesday night's council meeting. The neighbors hoped to make changes to the public facility zoning in order to prevent such a large building from going up so close to their home. That amendment wasn't passed, but they did get a small win.
Lorie Johnson said, "What we did get from Provo City was an indication, by at least some of the council members, that they thought this building was too huge for the area in which it was located."
Because, at least some thought the building to be too large, the council agreed to do something else for the pleasant view neighbors.
"The Provo City Municipal Council was willing to reach out to the LDS church and ask them to engage in dialogue with the neighborhood,” explained Johnson.
That's all neighbors have been trying to do since the expansion was announced.
George Frey told ABC 4, "Basically I’ve been trying for three weeks. I’ve been trying, almost begging; if I’d been physically present I would have been begging, for a meeting just to listen to an idea that might solve the problem.
What neighbors want is some sort of compromise, but after the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles asked the Pleasant View ward to support the expansion of the MTC it essentially meant the discussion was over.
Johnson explained, "They say this is an ecclesiastical issue and it is your duty as a good Mormon to support this."
The Pleasant View residents are not yet sure if they're going to appeal the city council's decision regarding the public facility zoning, but they do hope the city council comes though and is able to contact the church so they can have a sit down meeting.
To read petitions signed by Pleasant View neighbors log on to:
http://www.change.org/petitions/no-9-story-building-2
