It's no surprise when voters in the college town of Davis, California, say no to a housing development. But it is a surprise when Modesto says "whoa" to growth, and when development-averse Santa Barbara and Ventura reject new controls.
In voting on local land use ballot measures, slow-growth advocates claimed major victories in Davis and in Mendocino County, where shopping center developer DDR spent heavily to pass its own initiative. They also won in Modesto when voters rejected proposals to extend sewer service to 3,000 acres of farm fields.
Meanwhile, slow-growth advocates suffered unusual setbacks in Santa Barbara and Ventura, coastal cities with a history of voters controlling development. In both cities, the electorate said no to strict height limitation initiatives.
FULL STORY: Election Results: Slow Growthers Win In Davis, Mendocino County
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