A ballot measure that would have paved the way for increased development in the town of Tusayan failed by 11 votes on Tuesday night.
Of the 131 votes cast, 60 were in favor of the measure and 71 were against it.
If it had passed, the referendum would have increased the maximum building height in Tusayan to 65 feet, up from a current limit of between 35 feet and 40 feet. Rejection means the town’s current building height restrictions will stay the same.
Opponents of the measure said higher buildings would have diminished the views in this gateway to the Grand Canyon, cast more light into the area’s famously dark skies and put more demand on important groundwater resources...