A plan by the Dukes County sheriff to build a 140-foot emergency services tower in Oak Bluffs won unanimous approval from the Martha’s Vineyard Commission Thursday night.

The tower is one part of a plan to upgrade to the aging and outmoded Islandwide emergency communications infrastructure.

The commission will require that the tower be built to withstand winds speeds up to 120 miles per hour, following a hearing last month when concerns were raised about the ability of the tower to withstand strong winds and severe storms.

Commission chairman Jim Vercruysse said Thursday it is still unclear if there will be lighting on the top of the tower, but FAA guidelines will dictate that.

“It’s kind of going to be what it’s going to be,” he said.

The tower will be funded mostly through a $1.5 million state grant awarded this week to the sheriff’s department.

Sheriff Robert Ogden attended the meeting along with Oak Bluffs police chief Erik Blake and fire chief John Rose.

Commissioner Linda Sibley asked who would be in charge of long-term maintenance for the tower.

“It would be part of the regional system, so the long-term maintenance and care of the radio site would be me, the sheriff’s department,” Mr. Ogden replied.

The tower will be built at the Oak Bluffs transfer station off County Road.

“It is in fact a very good location for it,” said commissioner Fred Hancock.

The vote was 11-0 to approve the tower.

In other business, the commission agreed to extend a project to rebuild the hangar at the Katama Airfield in Edgartown for another two years while the town secures funding for the work.

The commission approved the project to rebuild the 1944-era hangar as a development of regional impact in 2010; since then the project has stalled more than once due to a variety of issues.

Edgartown voters approved funding for the project at the annual town meeting in April but a ballot question to exempt the funding from Proposition 2 1/2 failed in a rare tie vote.

Airfield commissioner Father Michael Nagle attended the meeting and said the town plans to bring the question before voters again next spring.

“Hopefully it will pass this year,” he said.

The commission also approved a two-year extension for the Lagoon Ridge subdivision in Oak Bluffs.

Discussion began with a brief remembrance for the applicant, David Danielson, who died in late August after contracting tularemia.

“I’m so glad to hear that this is going to continue,” said commissioner Richard Toole. “I think it will be good for the environment and good for the town of Oak Bluffs.”

A minor DRI modification request from the Vineyard Golf Club to increase the size of a proposed on-course bathroom to allow for use by men and women was swiftly approved.

On. Oct. 18 the commission will host a public discussion about the Steamship Authority and the steady yearly increase of vehicles coming to the Island.

Commission executive director Adam Turner said the discussion is intended to focus on broad planning concerns, not SSA operations.

“For months we’ve discussed the impact of larger and larger amount of cars coming over in the summertime,” he said. “Have we reached capacity? If that’s true, what action should we take?”

The commission has no power to regulate the state-chartered boat line.

“Our goal is to shine a light on issues as we see them,” Mr. Vercruysse said. “Maybe we don’t have regulatory power, but we have a voice.”