It's Election Day in San Juan

Polls open at 7 a.m. today for the more than 15,000 registered voters in San Juan Capistrano to cast their ballots on Measure B.

Before the voters is whether the approving changes to the San Juan guide for long-term growth, its general plan, should be upheld—a YES vote. The changes include approval of a mixed-use community along the north and south Sides of La Novia Avenue, east of Valle Road: an equestrian facility; commercial/residential/office spaces and 94 homes, 50 apartments and up to 130 condos.

If the changes are dismantled—a NO vote—then the development rights will revert back to those approved in the 1980s: a 300-bedroom hotel and conference center, zoning for a public-institutional building such as a school and 275 single-family homes and 165 multi-family senior affordable apartments.

If Measure B fails, the property owner, Advanced Real Estate Services, may develop according to those plans approved in the 1980s, or the city may immediately consider a different development. However, the City Council will have to wait one year before approving a substantially similar development.

To find your polling place, click here, or take a look at the PDF on the right hand side of this article. Polls close at 8 p.m.

As of May 27, 2,862 ballots had already been mailed to the Orange County registrar of voters. The signatures on those vote-by-mail ballots are already verified, the ballots already sliced open and extracted using a newly installed automation systems. These ballots will be the first reported  at 8:05 p.m.

The deadline for the registrar of voters to receive vote-by-mail ballots by mail or in person is 8 p.m. A voter may deliver his vote-by-mail ballot in person to any polling place in the city by the close of the polls today. If a vote-by-mail voter who, because of illness or other physical disability, is unable to return the ballot, he may designate his spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister or a person residing in the same household to return the ballot.

The registar must complete tallying the results by July 15.

To read more news coverage of the special election:

To read opinion pieces about Measure B:

To read a Q&A with the developers: