Mission Viejo voters rejected a measure Tuesday that would have restricted development in the South County city, while in Costa Mesa an initiative to block any redevelopment of the Orange County fairgrounds easily passed.
Measure D, which would have subjected major developments in Mission Viejo to a public vote, failed with 61% of city voters saying “no” and 39% voting for it.
The measure, opposed by real estate groups, auto dealers and others, called for citywide votes on major projects requiring a change in zoning or the city’s general plan.
Critics said the measure would have halted all sorts of development in the city. Proponents argued it would have given voters control over development in the city.
In Costa Mesa, voters easily passed Measure C, which restricts use of the OC Fair & Event Center to its current use as a fairgrounds and bars the development of housing, stores and other uses at the site.
The measure passed 87% to 13%.
Measure C was a response to a recent plan by the state of California to sell the fairgrounds amid Sacramento’s budget crisis.
The measure takes effect only if the fairgrounds is sold.
Costa Mesa is in talks with the state to buy the fairgrounds land for $96 million in a partnership with Facilities Management West. The deal is designed to keep the site as a fairgrounds.
Tuesday’s voting ended a number of contentious local, state and federal races, including big money Republican primaries for governor and a California Senate seat.
Governor candidate frontrunner Meg Whitman easily beat challenger Steve Poizner after a bitter, expensive campaign.
Former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief Carly Fiorina emerged as the Republican challenger to U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer.
The race to fill the county Board of Supervisors seat vacated by Assembly candidate Chris Norby is set for a November runoff between the top two vote-getters.
Republican Shawn Nelson, a Fullerton councilman, topped the voting at 30% but failed to gain a majority to win the seat outright.
He’ll occupy Norby’s former seat until November, when he’ll face a runoff with Republican Harry Sidhu, an Anaheim councilman who garnered 18%.
Democrat Lorri Galloway, an Anaheim councilwoman, came in third at 16%.
A three-way battle for county sheriff was decided.
Sandra Hutchens, who in 2008 was appointed after the fall of former sheriff Mike Carona, won 52% of the vote, avoiding a runoff.
