After months of study and debate, Santa Clara County leaders rejected a controversial proposal to ban artificial turf fields on county property, despite ongoing concerns effects about their health and environmental impacts.

A nearly yearlong effort to ban artificial turf on Santa Clara County-owned properties has failed after the Board of Supervisors was unable to come to a consensus on the much debated topic. The natural grass versus artificial turf debate has become a dividing issue across the Bay Area in recent years — and Tuesday’s board meeting was no different as residents on both sides packed the downtown San Jose chambers.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors late Tuesday rejected a ban on artificial turf on county-owned property. The ban, had it been enacted, would have prevented new turf installations and could have impacted existing sports complexes.

Santa Clara County’s state-mandated housing plans have been approved — nearly two years after the deadline. The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to approve the county’s housing element,