Montecito Board boosts landscape-conversion rebates to $3/sq ft, raises caps

The Montecito Water District Board voted to increase landscape conversion rebates under the District’s Water Use Efficiency Program. Director Kenneth Coates moved the change; Director Floyd Wicks seconded and the motion passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.

Water Conservation Specialist Steven Cognac presented the program update and staff recommendation. The motion, as recorded in the minutes, "increase the landscape conversion rebate for all properties participating under the program to $3 per square foot and to establish a maximum rebate of $10,000 for single-family residential properties and $15,000 for commercial, institutional, and multi-family residential properties. The increases would be effective immediately and the current limit of one rebate per property would remain in effect." The minutes show the Board approved the change and the effective date was immediate.

Implementation: staff will update program materials and process rebates under the new rates. The minutes do not record anticipated budget impact or the number of applicants expected to claim the higher rebate; staff will likely report fiscal impacts in future budget updates.