It’s Official: Sewers for Rincon

It’s official: After weeks of false starts and legal bickering, the Santa Barbara County Registrar’s office handcounted and certified the Rincon Point Homeowners vote on the controversial septic-to-sewer conversion plan on May 16. As anticipated, after legal challenges disqualified several votes for alleged voter fraud, the sanitary switch passed 73 to 67. Shortly thereafter, Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), given the green light by the vote, recorded the annexation of the Rincon, Sandyland and Padaro lane homes into the Carpinteria Sanitary District. Though the annexation officially starts the process of the switch, which is estimated to cost homeowners about $80,000 each- those residents against the conversion are expected to file a legal appeal.