A plan by the owners of Big Sky Tents to build a 9,600-square-foot building in a wooded area off the Dr. Fisher Road in West Tisbury has sparked some strong reaction among neighbors who are concerned about added noise and traffic.

The concerns were registered at a public hearing before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission last week.

The structure is planned for tent storage and a party rental business.

“Just from a visual point of view, we are looking at a building that is actually larger than up-Island Cronig’s,” said Pine Hill Road resident Constance Breese. “Remember, this is primarily a residential neighborhood, and this building is massively out of scale with everything else in the area.”

“A big part of me wants to support this, but I can’t,” agreed Huseby’s Mountain Road resident Melissa Manter. “It’s going to change the whole character of that neighborhood. And I worry it will be a big eyesore.”

The commission is reviewing the project as a development of regional impact (DRI). The hearing will continue on August 5.

The proposed site at 90 Dr. Fisher Road is in an area that falls within the town light industrial zone, and also within the boundaries of the Dr. Fisher Road district of critical planning concern (DCPC). The road is an ancient way; under the rules of the DCPC, clear-cutting is prohibited 20 feet from the center line on both sides. The area was rezoned by the town in 2000 to include the light industrial zone. The change allowed several businesses, including Bizarro Trash disposal and Keane Excavation Inc. to move into the area.

The site in question is owned by Peter Williams, who two years ago submitted plans to the commission for a commercial parking area for 50 trucks, 25 trailers and 20 pieces of equipment. The plan was unpopular with neighbors, and was later withdrawn by Mr. Williams. He now plans to sell or lease the land to Big Sky Tents.

Appearing before the commission, Big Sky owner Jim Eddy and engineer Reid Silva offered provisions to improve traffic flow in the area, and a stipulation that they would explore the possibility of creating some type of footpath parallel to the road for walking, horseback riding and bicycle use.

Mr. Silva said the new building will not be out of character with the neighborhood and will have an exterior of clapboard and shingles.

“We spent quite a lot of time with the ZBA [zoning board of appeals] to iron out some of the details with the neighbors before we forwarded this for review to MVC,” Mr. Silva said. “We moved the building back to increase [the buffer], and we reduced the overall size of the building . . . we have tried to be responsive to neighbors.”

Mr. Eddy said the building will primarily be a seasonal business from May through the Christmas holidays. He said tents will not be washed at the site.

Not all neighbors were opposed to the plans. Dr. Fisher Road resident Dan Larkosh, who owns an undeveloped property in the light industrial zone, said it would improve the neighborhood.

“We are not happy this area was rezoned. But it was. And in terms of light industrial use, this is most compatible with the rest of the neighborhood, this is the most consistent with the character,” Mr. Larkosh said.

He continued: “We get a lot of noise from Keane Excavation, that’s the biggest impact on the neighborhood, the noise that comes from the district. And I think this new building and its proposed location will do a lot to mitigate that noise.”

Others disagreed.

“That rezoning happened with very little input from neighbors, so there is a whole history of a lack of input from abutters and neighbors as to what goes on there,” Ms. Breese said. “And here we are talking about a proposal that is enormous, that is bordering roads that are 10 to 12 feet wide with historic and scenic value . . . it doesn’t seem right.”