Chilmark voters on Monday easily approved several spending articles, including a $2 million plan to build three rental duplexes on Middle Line Road for affordable housing. A light turnout total of 80 voters attended the meeting at the Chilmark Community Center.

The Middle Line Road article passed by a vote of 60-3.

Planned for 22.8 acres of town-owned land off Tabor House Road, the project, which is the first town-sponsored affordable housing project, has been in the works for four years but has been delayed by a series of issues, including some involving the access road.

The plan calls for 12 units in nine buildings. The town will build and own three duplexes that will contain six rental units, in addition to six resident homesites. The town will retain ownership of all the land, and deed restrictions will restrict the units to those who qualify under affordable guidelines.

A detailed outline of the project — including architectural plans and a financial prospectus — was handed out to voters on Monday. Part of the package stated that 10 wells have already been installed on the site, and that a contractor has been selected to install and bring utility service to the site from Tabor House Road.

It also provides a brief history of the project:

“The town vigorously explored having a private developer build and operate the three rental duplexes for the six apartments. The economics did not work . . . the town is [instead] recommending it build and own the rental duplexes and have them managed by the Dukes Country Housing Authority. The net annual operating proceeds after expenses will go to the town instead of a developer.”

Under the plan, three of the units will be rented to tenants making 80 per cent of the county median income and three will be rented to tenants making 90 per cent of the median income. The town will borrow $1.4 million of the $2 million cost; the remainder will come from Community Preservation Act money.

There was little discussion before the article was approved. One voter asked why the town wasn’t asking for higher rents.

Selectman Warren Doty said project planners were consciously conservative.

“As we understand it the Morgan Woods [affordable housing project] in Edgartown has had difficulties renting at their higher prices. We originally had a pro forma with rents of $1,600 and $1,800, but backed off that to make sure the finances work. But there is no rule that says we can’t rent to people with a higher income if we choose to,” Mr. Doty said.

Last week the town selectmen voted unanimously to hold a lottery for the six resident homesites available to qualified town residents. The lottery is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 19.

Town officials are considering the same date for a townwide election to authorize borrowing for the Middle Line project through a debt exclusion of Proposition 2 1/2; a special state election will be held the same day to fill the U.S. Senate seat of the late Edward M. Kennedy.

Voters on Monday also agreed to spend $8,400 for repairs to the Chilmark Community Center and $22,000 to resurface and repair the community center parking lot. They also agreed to spend $18,000 for the removal of dead standing trees along town roads, and $3,500 for repairs to the old Menemsha School and shed.

There was debate over an article asking voters to designate the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority as the town agent to create and administer covenants to keep properties affordable in perpetuity. The article would apply to Middle Line Road and other affordable housing projects.

Some voters questioned whether the article would preclude someone who owned an affordable property from passing it along to family members.

Selectman J.B. Riggs Parker said town bylaws prohibit any transaction that transfers an affordable property to someone who does not qualify under affordable housing guidelines. “That’s a bylaw we have on the books. I’m not sure what I can say on that issue. We all passed that bylaw and it’s in force and it should be followed,” Mr. Parker said.

Selectmen later acknowledged that exceptions to that bylaw can be made, and in fact already have been made. Earlier this year the board voted to make an exception for Dardanella and Sean Slavin, the town’s first recipients of an affordable homesite under the town’s new affordable housing bylaw, allowing them to pass their property to an heir without income restrictions.

“I did not vote in favor of that. But an exception was made,” Mr. Parker said.

Town counsel Ronald Rappaport said the article included standard language of a home rule petition approved by the state legislature that allows Island towns to define affordable housing as for people earning less than 150 per cent of median income.

Mr. Rappaport said because the article contained that language it could not be amended, only tabled or postponed.

In the end the article passed by a vote of 46-34.