A vote was held Tuesday, October 4 at the Ventura County Board of Supervisors regarding the proposed development of a 45-foot faux palm tree Verizon cell tower and utility station directly above Rincon Point. The Brown family appealed with support from longtime local families and concerned neighbors. Statements made against the project cited health concerns, the disruption of an iconic view-shed, and loss of historic agricultural land use to an unnecessary utility placement. Opposition pointed out that AT&T has an existing tower below the proposed site that provides excellent service, thus challenging Verizon’s claim thatit is the only viable location to address a problematic one-square-mile coverage gap in their current service. Verizon admitted fewer than 400 people have complained about this drop — far smaller than the number of people who will see this proposed tower from Rincon Beach and the freeway.
Right now we all see the towers at the top of Rincon Mountain. Citizens fighting the new cell tower fear that this could be the future of this new site, only in proximity to our beloved Rincon Point.
State beaches bring $10 billion of revenue a year to California. Rincon, with the potential to be designated part of a state scenic highway, has long been one of the most recognizable coastal areas in the world, helping to draw over 2 million visitors to Carpinteria alone. It should be protected.