Edgartown selectmen voted this week to back a special variance for David Vietor’s historic bulkhead at his South Water street that would allow him to skirt a state law that requires public access to the water.

Selectmen will recommend that the State Department of Environmental Protection grant the variance, which if approved will allow a monetary contribution to the town in lieu of providing public access.

Mr. Vietor began negotiating to sell his home nearly two years ago, and during the process discovered the property never had a special Chapter 91 waterways license for the existing 19th-century granite bulkhead. The license is required for properties that sit on publicly owned waterways and filled tidelands, and requires public access to the water.

Due to the closely-built houses around the Vietor home, town conservation commission member Christina Brown said at Monday’s meeting that public access to the waterfront is not possible.

The amount of the contribution has not yet been determined, but it will go toward future public access projects in town. The projects do not have to be named until the variance is approved by the state.

In other business Monday, selectmen also unanimously reaffirmed a preliminary vote taken last week not to contribute to a housing needs assessment requested by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. The study would update a 2001 assessment last revised in 2005.

The money would have come from the Edgartown Affordable Housing Trust, which recommended the selectmen approve the funding. Commission economic development and affordable housing planner Christine Flynn said the original $4,000 was reduced to $2,700. But the selectmen were unconvinced and said money for such a study should come from the commission’s annual budget.

“This is an obligation on the part of the commission,” said selectman Margaret Serpa. “If it’s a small amount, then you should find it in your budget.”

Selectmen also gave a positive review to the new bicycle lanes at the entrance to Main street, and police chief Antone Bettencourt agreed. The bike lanes were approved in late May on a trial basis, and painted last Thursday.

“It’s a good start,” the chief said. “We’ll see how it goes and we’ll monitor it.”

The board also approved new police contracts for the police unit that covers all full-time officers and the police superiors unit that covers sergeants. Changes to the contracts include five weeks of vacation after 20 years of service. The town will also pay for mobile phone bills. The contracts begin July 1 and expire June 30, 2014.