Measure N, which will give voters a say in developmentagreements that involve 30 acres or more, got more votes thanMeasure P, which would have provided voters the right to vote onindividual projects of 25,000 sf or more. Measure N received 3,055votes for and 2,737 against; measure P garnered 2,962 votes for,while 2,973 were opposed. The measure with the most votes willbecome law.

According to Malibu mayor Tom Hasse, a vote for N gives votersthe final say on a development agreement the city has alreadynegotiated with MBC, which allows development of 29.7 of the 60acres of commercially zoned property the company owns. The city'sagreement with MBC requires the firm to donate a considerableamount of land to the city for parks and community servicefacilities, as well as funding to build a proposed teen center andsenior daycare.

Former Malibu planning commissioner Jo Ruggles, a supporter ofmeasure P, contends that "technically" N does not require the cityto hold an election on MBC's proposed development, because itinvolves less than 30 acres. She says it's a loophole fordevelopers, because "there are no projects in the pipeline thatsizable, so it doesn't apply to anything."