"There are some good stores in town, but there are just a lot of people that are leaving the valley to shop," he said, adding the referendum doesn't mean people are against retail development. "They made it pretty obvious that they're against the big-box and want smaller retail."

The council, however, is worried about residents of the 100-unit Pleasant Valley Trailer Park, where the Wal-Mart would locate. Boyer has not yet closed on the land, but the owner has sent out eviction notices for tenants to clear the park by June 30.

"To me, that's the bigger issue than whether this thing passes or not," Phillips said, adding they're "searching for answers" through various groups to help assist residents.

Now that a vote on the referendum will happen, Boyer is looking into working with landowner Doug Heiner and working out a later move-out day for the residents. That idea was pitched by the mayor and City Council at last Thursday's council meeting, where the council voted 4-1 to rezone the trailer park and surrounding land for the project.

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E-mail: astowell@desnews.com