The city council had already approved the Playa del Norte project, which would've created space for retail shops, restaurants, offices and storage space.
Opponents forced the issue onto the ballot. With all precincts reporting, opponents lead with 57.7 percent of the votes, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. Mail-in ballots and provisional ballots still need to be tallied to determine the official final results.
Opponents said the project would've blocked beach access and ruined the view.
Supporters said it would've revitalized the economy with more than $300,000 a year in property and sales taxes, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in increased parking revenue.
