The Carpinteria Valley Water District, deep in debt for state water it says it doesn’t need, will look into selling some of its entitlement to two developers who want to build homes in Goleta.
Voting 4-1 on Wednesday, with Director Richard Forde abstaining, the Carpinteria water board agreed to start negotiating with the developers – Glynne Couvillion of Montecito and Ken Alker of Santa Barbara – on the condition that they shoulder the cost of reviewing the proposal and drawing up a deal. Any proposed sale, lease, or option to buy Carpinteria’s state aqueduct water would be subject to further public hearings.
“It’s not a bad idea to invest in this at someone else’s expense,” said board Director Matthew Roberts.