The Chilmark select board voted to approve a request for proposal to construct affordable housing on a 16.67-acre parcel off Pasture Road, more than a year and a half after a committee to develop that proposal was formed.

The Peaked Hill Pastures affordable housing development has been in process for years now, with a planning board subcommittee initiating work on the concept back in 2018.

Town voters approved the development of a request for proposal (RFP) at the annual town meeting in June of 2022. Since then, the project has sat with the Peaked Hill Pastures RFP committee, which has debated details.

“All these questions have been raised, have been debated, ad nauseum,” said select board member Bill Rossi at the meeting on Tuesday. “I just want to see us move forward.”

But differences among town officials still emerged after the RFP committee presented their plan last night, with planning board members Hugh Weisman, Elaine Miller and Richard Osnoss all raising concerns about the committee’s approach to the project.

In June, voters approved nine rental units, along with four homes, however the RFP committee found that town zoning would only allow for nine rental units on a property of that size.

The committee determined to go forward with a plan to build nine rental units, while some planning board members felt the town should pursue a 40b development, which would circumvent zoning rules and allow for ten units.

The board unanimously voted to move the RFP forward with nine units.

“This has been a long process...there’s never 100 per cent agreement,” said board member Jim Malkin.

No funding has yet been committed to the project, and any such will request will have to come before town meeting.