The Kelley House and its associated food and beverage outlets will close in early January to prepare for a major expansion project at the downtown hotel that is expected to take nearly two years to complete.

“We will be conducting a campus wide renovation to improve the guest experience, as well as the hotel’s integration within the Edgartown community at large,” Dillon Prives, a representative from Blue Flag Partners, wrote in a letter to the Edgartown select board.

Expansion and renovation plans are still in the early stages, and were recently referred to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission for review as a development of regional impact (DRI). No public hearing date has been set yet, according to the commission website.

The select board approved the request from Mr. Prives to close Jan. 1, and not reopen until May 2023. The closure will include the popular Newes from America pub.

“In order to perform the needed repairs and renovations . . . the building will need to remain closed longer than the permitted four weeks per calendar year,” Mr. Prives wrote in part.

Blue Flag Partners is a Boston-based real estate firm that has developed several hotels on Nantucket. It bought the Kelley House and surrounding properties in October 2020. The hotel property includes most of the block bordered by Dock, North Water, Daggett and Kelley streets.

In other business Monday, the board agreed to form a town climate committee to augment the town’s response to the global climate crisis.

“Climate change is upon us. The Island and the town are feeling the effects already,” said Alan Strahler, reading a statement on behalf of the energy committee.

He said Edgartown is addressing climate change by reducing fossil fuel consumption, developing solar power facilities and adapting infrastructure to account for flooding and coastal erosion. “While these actions are helping our municipality to adapt to climate change, town residents need to be more aware of them,” he added.

The climate committee would communicate with residents about the town’s efforts to adapt to climate change and provide information to help residents understand the risks of climate change, Mr. Strahler said.

The committee will work with the town of and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission to create grant programs and incentives for projects meant to adapt to climate change.

“The town has done quite a lot to adapt and look more into the future,” town administrator James Hagerty said. “I think the committee would obviously be a big help to synergize some of those functions.”

The committee will be made up of five to seven volunteers who live in Edgartown.

“If executed well, I think this would add value and I’m confident Mr. Strahler knows the processes enough to put together something that would be beneficial,” Mr. Hagerty said.

The board also approved:

• A series of liquor license renewals;

• Two excavation permits for Tilton Way and North Summer street;

• Travel vouchers for the police and wastewater committee.