At the Mormon church in my town the steeple is not on top of the church but sitting on the ground next to it. Is this some sort of Mormon custom?
Nope, probably just a style thing. Maybe the architect liked that better. There really is no exact design for Mormon churches, or Temples, for that matter. It’s whatever works best in the area.
Sounds like a compromise with local building codes or perhaps a weakened roof.
Aren’t the churches known as stake houses? And doesn’t a stake belong in the ground?