As the co-chair of the past town plan committee, the proposed expansion of the town border in the recent planning effort caught my attention. Affordable housing is one of the important objectives of this planning. To achieve this objective, there is an option to expand the town boundary out into 100 acres of land into the critical aquifer recharge area, now zoned rural, and allow greater density.

Accompanying the expanded border, a proposed special district overlay would allow developers to build to much higher density — up to 48 units per acre under certain scenarios — if they included a few affordable units. The old plan allowed for 12 units per acre within the town.

Our public and private wells are all dependent on rain percolating down to recharge the island aquifers. The protection of these aquifers is fundamental to our whole community and its future. Our rural zoning was intended to protect the island’s rural nature, but even more importantly, the island’s aquifer recharge capability.

In my view, it is important not to change the rural zoning without proving that the island’s water recharge capability will be protected with equal or better certainty. Technically, such proof is difficult. As a result, extreme caution is warranted.

The reality is that a greater supply of land and density does not deliver affordability. Quite the opposite. Other tools are necessary. These include public subsidies, private partnerships with public entities and nonprofits, a development process with simpler rules and requirements and good enforcement.

Some increase in density within the existing town boundary may be advisable if these other tools are actually implemented.

Let’s take the town expansion option off the table.

— Martin Baker