The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has embarked on its first steps toward building a new church in far north Fort Worth. 

Fort Worth City Council unanimously voted Sept. 17 to annex nearly 6 acres located northwest of Blue Mound Road and Double Eagle Boulevard. The annexation area sits in Denton County but within Fort Worth’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, which is an area outside the city limits where cities can regulate some activities through agreements with the county. 

During the same meeting, council members also rezoned about 4 acres of the annexed area for community facilities use, which supports uses such as schools, churches, government, human services, utilities and community centers. 

The property, named “LDS New Granger,” is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which plans to build a new church on the site by 2026, according to an Aug. 27 city staff report. The current site consists of an existing residence owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and does not generate any tax revenue.

Details on design and construction of a new building were not included in city documents. A spokesperson for the church’s Fort Worth Coordinating Council declined to comment. 

No one signed up to speak in opposition of the annexation. One person signed up to speak in favor of the church’s proposal only if there was opposition to the project. 

Costs for police, fire, water and other city services to accommodate the new church are projected to exceed any revenue generated by the new development, according to an Aug. 27 staff report on fiscal sustainability impact. 

The annexation comes almost a year after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints broke ground for its upcoming temple in Burleson. 

Temples are considered houses of God and places of holiness and peace separate from the preoccupations of the world. The buildings are not regular places of Sunday worship but rather used for baptisms or marriages. 

Meetinghouses, or chapels, are used for Sunday worship services and weekday activities like youth groups, socials, service projects and sporting events. They are open to the general public and visitors are welcome to observe or respectfully participate, according to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

The single-story temple in Burleson is being built on a 9.37-acre site and will be about 30,000 square feet when completed. Temple construction is estimated to be completed in mid- to late 2026 — around the same time that Fort Worth officials expect the church to complete its new building near Blue Mound Road. 

Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter @marissaygreene. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.