Carlsbad will hold a special municipal election on Tuesday over the Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan.
The plan is for an expensive outdoor shopping center that would be built over the former Carlsbad strawberry fields.
While the development was approved last summer, opposition has been fierce.
Through a signature drive, developer Rick Caruso bypassed the typical extensive environmental review, known as CEQA, and the public input that goes along with it.
The Carlsbad City Council approved the project unanimously in August but after opponents gathered signatures the council agreed to put it to a city-wide vote.
Measure A asks the voters on February 23 whether or not they approve the plan.
Proponents of the Agua Hedionda project, including the owner of the Carlsbad Strawberry Company, say the shops will be built on about 30 acres, leaving 85 percent of the land reserved for things like hiking trails, an outdoor classroom, amphitheaters and natural space.
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Opponents say moving forward without an environmental plan could set a precedent for development decisions across the state.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
