To the editor:

The Aquidneck Land Trust is in the process of raising approximately $2.2 million to purchase Spruce Acres as open space. The Spruce Acres property is located on the Middletown-Portsmouth line just west of East Main Road.

Spruce Acres is a former 23-acre Christmas tree farm located in the St. Mary’s and Sisson Pond watersheds. The property is key open space protecting our water supply and is part of a natural connected habitat for wildlife. Spruce Acres is also part of the Center Island Greenway, protected farmland and open spaces on the west side of East Main Road, extending from Escobar’s Farm to Oliphant Lane.

If not protected by the Land Trust, Spruce Acres will likely become a 20-lot development. As has been shown in studies by the Portsmouth planning office, the University of New Hampshire, and other agencies, development of land into single family homes will generally cost municipalities about $1.15 in infrastructure, maintenance and school expenses for every dollar of new taxes.

For the taxpayers of Portsmouth and Middletown, this development is a losing proposition.

Additionally, development of Spruce Acres will inject approximately 180 vehicle trips each day into the East Main/Bramans Lane/Mitchell’s Lane/Island Drive area, making an already congested part of East Main more dangerous and difficult to transit, enter and exit.

Spruce Acres is at the top of the watershed for Sisson’s and St. Mary’s ponds, both of which are part of the Newport Water reservoir system. Development of Spruce Acres will require installation of septic systems and stormwater control structures which could threaten our water supply.

So far, Island Farm residents, abutters and neighbors of Spruce Acres have donated over $10,000 to help the Aquidneck Land Trust make Spruce Acres permanent open space.

We ask the residents of Aquidneck Island to join in this effort by making individual donations to open space preservation at http://ailt.org/spruceacres

We also ask that, if requested, the municipalities of Middletown and Portsmouth participate in this critical open space land acquisition.

After all, we are all in this together.

Richard Adams, president

Arthur Weber, vice president

Martha Ciummo, secretary

Wayne Pembrook, treasurer

Island Farm Homeowners’ Association, Inc.

Middletown