With more than 7,000 votes still to be counted, the San Diego County Registrar of Voters said a special election in Carlsbad is too close to call.

Carlsbad residents went to the polls to vote on the controversial "measure A" that would have developed the Agua Hedionda Lagoon area.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, the close election came down to a difference of 186 votes, with 50.28 percent voting no and 49.72 percent voting yes.

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters' Office has 30 days to certify the election results. According to the Carlsbad City Clerk, final results were not expected until Thursday at 5 p.m.

The plan, created by developer Rick Caruso, would build an outdoor shopping center that would overlook the Agua Hedionda Lagoon and sit where the strawberry fields once grew.

On Tuesday, many voters were passionate about the future of the project.

The "Yes on Measure A" effort was a well-funded campaign backed by Caruso, while the opposition was supported by a grassroots campaign run by those who did not want a mall on the stretch of fields.

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 and 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.

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.

Opponents say moving forward without an environmental plan could set a precedent for development decisions across the state.

If the measure does not pass, land-use would remain as is today and the development company can resubmit its development plan or end its contract with SDG&E. Another party could purchase the area.

Ed. Note: A previous version of this article reported that Measure A was defeated. We have corrected the article to reflect the ongoing count of thousands of provisional ballots. We regret the error.