THORNTON, Colo. -- Wal-Mart opponents won a major battle Tuesday evening when the Thornton City Council voted against an ordinance that would rezone vacant land at Interstate 25 and 136th Avenue, meaning that a Wal-Mart Supercenter cannot be built there.

Although the fight isn't over, and the discount chain may still have a chance to erect a superstore at that site (located, left), community leaders have won one big battle.

Opponents who live next to the proposed site are breathing a sigh of relief. They say a Wal-Mart would bring traffic congestion and headaches.

"When you put a 24-7 box, it just creates lights up the sky, ruins peoples property values and the views," said resident Mike Denuzzi. "It is a bad deal for us."

For other Thornton residents, the store comes with more than just goods for the home.

"A lot of people are calling the Wal-Mart customers trailerpark trash," said Matt Hill. He said a new Wal-Mart Supercenter would be great, bringing jobs and convenience to an area where shops are congested because there's just not enough stores for the population.

For now, opponents of Wal-Mart have won. The Thornton city council voted to suspend any developments at the site until after a sub-area plan has been mapped out. With new homes and roads, the council said that a new plan would tell them how best the land could be utilized and that could mean a business park instead of a superstore.

"I'm feeling that they are going to wish that the Wal-Mart had gone in," said Hill.

For now, those who live around the site are ecstatic about the city council's vote.

Wal-Mart has the right to gather 5,246 signatures, or 10 percent of registered voters in Thornton, over the next three weeks. If they do that, the issue will be on the next ballot and then it will be up to the residents of Thornton if a Wal-Mart will be built.