One of the largest affordable housing projects on Martha’s Vineyard received its last regulatory approval this week.

The Oak Bluffs zoning board of appeals unanimously voted Wednesday to approve the comprehensive permit for Southern Tier, a planned new neighborhood of affordable housing next to the Martha’s Vineyard Ice Arena in the town-owned woodlands.

The project was proposed by Island Housing Trust and Affirmative Investments, and the zoning board had few objections to the developers’ plan to construct 45 units of affordable housing on 7.8 acres of land on Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road.

The first phase will have 10 one-bedroom units, 30 two-bedroom units, and five three-bedroom units. A proposed second phase, which will need a later approval, would add another 15 units.

The project will be restricted to residents with incomes between 30 per cent and 110 per cent of the county’s area median income, and there will be a local preference when the units are initially filled.

A similar proposal was made by Affirmative Investments and Island Housing Trust for Meshacket Commons, an affordable development in Edgartown that garnered zoning board support earlier this year.

Together the two developments will add about 100 units down-Island as Martha’s Vineyard struggles with an ever-worsening housing crisis.

In Oak Bluffs, the zoning board did have questions about noise, wastewater, water pressure and parking, but all were easily smoothed out in the two meetings prior to Wednesday’s approval.

Southern Tier plans to either set up its own advanced septic system or tie into the town sewer once Oak Bluffs adds further capacity.

With the comprehensive permit and waivers in hand, the developers will now seek funding to begin construction. Philippe Jordi, executive director of Island Housing Trust, said the organization already has an application with the state.

“So this is coming at a good time,” he said of the board’s approval. “We’re hoping that it will make a statement to the folks in Boston that the town is serious and wants to move forward with the project.” 

The project hasn’t gone out to bid yet, but rough cost estimates are at about $20 million or higher, said Craig Nicholson with Affirmative Investments. Once started, construction could take between 18 and 22 months.

“Sixty affordable new homes for Oak Bluffs and the Island, that’s really exciting,” Mr. Nicholson said. “It’s approved to go forward and now we just have to do our job and finish it.”