Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch asked all those in attendance at Tuesday night’s city council meeting that, if they are in favor of “the people’s right to vote on our city’s future this November, to please stand up.”

The near-capacity crowd stood up in support of placing the Beverly Hills Garden & Open Space Initiative – the first development plan to avoid city hall approval by going straight to the voters – on the November presidential ballot rather than being decided by a special election.

The city council unanimously agreed.

The council members didn’t hesitate to vote against adopting the initiative as is – a plan to turn two city-approved residential projects into one development. In 2008, the city approved Beverly Hilton owner Beny Alagem’s initial plan to build an 8-story building at Wilshire Boulevard and Merv Griffin Way and an 18-story building at Santa Monica Boulevard and Merv Griffin Way. The initiative now set for the November ballot proposes to combine them into a 26-story, 110-unit building with additional height, and to create a 1.7-acre “green space” or “open space” along Wilshire instead.

“We are saying to the residents, ‘Do you like the original plan, or do you like a garden and a taller building on the Santa Monica side?’” explained Marie Garvey, a spokeswoman for the project’s developers, Oasis West Realty, LLC. “Whichever you choose, we will build. But we think we have a better plan creating a great garden that benefits everybody.”

At 375 feet, the building will be Beverly Hills’ first skyscraper.

“Whether you think it’s great or awful, from a process point of view, it is groundbreaking,” said Councilman Julian Gold.

Many community members suggested that members of the council might vote to call for a special election in September in the hope that a low voter turnout would lead to a no vote because council members may have a “vendetta” against the project. They warned against “voter suppression” and stressed the importance of maintaining an informed electorate in November.

“[The November ballot] will ensure you get a true picture of what the residents want in the city,” said Lauren Escobar, who lives near the proposed development.

The city council complied and said they never would have called a special election.

“To me, it’s a no-brainer to have it on Nov. 8,” said Councilwoman Kathy Reims.

Councilwoman Lili Bosse said she was shocked that so many people felt the need to show up and discuss the potential special election.

“No chance, no way, never ever would I ever support that,” she said.

Mirisch echoed Bosse’s confusion with implications about voter suppression, stressing that the developer requested that a special election be considered.

“Why on earth would a low voter turnout result in a no vote?” he asked. “Not one individual explained why.”

Both community and council members requested forums and special meetings to help more people understand what they will be voting for.

The initiative will not require the city’s standard environmental reviews, though Garvey and the developers maintain that the proposal will not create additional traffic or additional building square footage compared to the approved plan. Garvey said the project will have the same usage as the first plan – which was approved by the city. But the city council also directed staff to report back in 30 days with a long list of environmental and fiscal effects the project will have on the city from its roads to its skyline. The council made sure that staff will cumulatively consider the 170-room Waldorf Astoria Hotel, which was part of the Alagem’s initial plan and is currently under construction at the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards.

“There are real serious things to look at and we need the time to look,” said Vice Mayor Nancy Krasne. “I want the initiative on the ballot, I think it should be in November, but I want a serious study done.”

The city council acknowledged that as the first development initiative in the city, the project could mark a sea change in urban development.

“This is a first for Beverly Hills, but it probably won’t be the last,” Gold said.

“At the end of the day, if this is what the public wants, this is what the public should have,” he added.