The Federal Way City Council on Jan. 21 authorized staff to begin negotiating a development agreement with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints for a proposed temple on three properties south of Todd Beamer High School.

Keith Niven, the city’s community development director, told the council the church owns approximately 12 acres and has requested permission to build a roughly 43,000‑square‑foot temple on the site. "The policy question in front of the city council is, should the city council initiate negotiation of a development agreement with, the Church of the Latter day Saints, for a temple in Federal Way?" Niven said.

Council members questioned timing and impacts. Council member Vergano asked whether project details — building height, traffic and mitigation — would be addressed in the development agreement; Niven said such project‑level details, including a traffic study, would be part of negotiations and later permit review. Council member Hunter raised concerns about who would pay for road improvements necessitated by temple traffic; Niven said required street improvements attributable to the temple would be the developer’s responsibility.

Niven said development agreements typically take about a year; because the church is reportedly eager, he estimated a timeline of roughly eight months with presentation to council possibly late summer to early fall. Council member Sabadasa asked for the size of the Bellevue temple to compare; during the meeting one council member read aloud "110,000 square feet" for Bellevue, and staff confirmed the Federal Way proposal is about 43,000 square feet.

Councilor Casper moved to authorize negotiations; the motion received a second and passed. Council member Walsh announced a recusal on the item. Mayor Farrell stated the motion was approved; the mayor recorded the outcome as approved with one recusal and one absence but did not read a roll‑call vote.