The Martha’s Vineyard Commission on Thursday voted without dissent to approve a town-sponsored initiative to build a new gas station for boaters on the Oak Bluffs harbor. The plan was approved after a rapid review, during which several commissioners acknowledged the importance of having fuel in the harbor in time for the busy summer season.

The application from the town of Oak Bluffs was the subject of a public hearing on June 4, after which a written decision was prepared and discussed during a meeting of the commission’s land use planning committee four days later. The written decision was approved on Thursday after brief discussion.

“It seems clear the Oak Bluffs harbor and the entire town would suffer economically if gas was not available in the harbor,” commissioner Carlene Gatting said before the vote.

“Fueling facilities are typically found in a working harbor,” commissioner John Breckenridge agreed. “When we are considering the alternatives we need to remember there may be no other alternative for fuel this summer.”

Although the first public hearing was well attended, Thursday’s deliberations took place in front a small audience made up of commission staff members and one abutter, Anne DeBettencourt, who lives across from the proposed new gas station.

The town applied for the filling station for boats after a series of lawsuits between Ralph Packer, owner of R.M. Packer Co., and Mark Wallace threatened to shut down fuel service on the harbor this summer. Mr. Wallace currently leases the tanks and pumps on Church’s Pier from Mr. Packer, and the two are locked in a legal battle stemming from a fuel delivery mishap in July of 2007.

Although Mr. Wallace has maintained he will again provide fuel on the harbor this summer, as of yesterday gas was still not available to boaters.

The town plan approved on Thursday calls for the installation of two 1,500-gallon tanks or one 2,000-gallon tank at the harbor master’s shack between the harbor sidewalk and parking lot. Fueling would take place on the floating dock just north of the harbor master’s shack.

Several neighbors who attended the first public hearing raised concerns about aesthetics and safety of the new pumps; the commission has also received letters since then raising similar concerns.

“If a spill were to occur we might be in a disaster mode. In case of fire, the north end of Circuit avenue extension would be wiped out,” wrote Raymond Gallison, who owns a home across from the proposed site.

“We would smell the fuel as it was being put in the tanks, we would see the tanks and we would have fuel trucks coming and loading fuel right in front of our homes,” wrote Patricia Wallace.

But there are also letters of support, including one from town shellfish constable Dave Grunden, who said the new fueling station will not harm shellfish growing near the proposed new tanks.

Commissioners took note of residents’ concerns on Thursday, but argued that fuel service has traditionally been part of the harbor. “I would point out that this is a working harbor. If you choose to live right next door you’re going to run into things like boats refueling,” commissioner Douglas Sederholm said.

Commissioner Linda Sibley said she did not believe the fuel station posed a threat to the environment.

“I was convinced during testimony that the transfer of fuel to the tanks, and from the tanks to the boats, is not a big source of fumes. What is a big a source are the busses and the cars that are parked in that area,” she said.

There had been some discussion about whether the town was usurping private enterprise by getting into the gas business. A condition of approval addresses this concern, stipulating that the tanks and pumps must be removed within two years of installation, with a provision allowing the town to apply for a permanent installation in the future.

Another condition states the tanks must be refilled after 8 a.m. but before the arrival of the Island Queen ferry at 9:30 a.m. A detailed spill prevention plan and vapor recovery plan — as required by state law — must be drafted and approved by a professional engineer and submitted to the Oak Bluffs fire chief for final approval.

At the urging of Mr. Sederholm, another condition was added stipulating that the plan conforms with guidelines drafted by Coastal Zone Management.

“My concern is that we have letters from the public basically saying we’re giving them carte blanche . . . it seems the decision should at least reference those guidelines,” he said.

The vote to approve the plan was unanimous. The plan now goes to the town conservation commission and zoning board of appeals for review.