A lengthy public hearing process for a planned affordable housing project came to an end Friday morning, clearing the way for the Island Housing Trust to build a six-unit apartment building on Water street in Vineyard Haven.

The Tisbury zoning board of appeals unanimously approved a special permit for the project with conditions. A written decision is expected next week. The public hearing began in August.

The project dates to 2012, when Steve Bernier bought the building at 6 Water street and donated it to the housing trust. Some public funding was committed to the project at town meeting.

The housing trust applied for its special permit under Chapter 40B, the state law that allows zoning boards to approve affordable housing projects using more flexible rules.

The project was reviewed by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and approved in July.

The zoning board opened a hearing in mid-August. The hearing closed Sept. 11, but the board later voted to reopen it to consider how their initial proposed conditions would affect the project. The conditions included downsizing from six units to four.

On Friday, housing trust executive director Philippe Jordi said changing the number of units would result in a loss of more than $200,000 in state funding.

“They require at least five units for funding,” Mr. Jordi said.

But a primary concern of the board was the lack of on-site parking.

“I’m okay with six [units], but I’m not okay with no parking,” board chairman Jeffrey Kristal said. He acknowledged that while the trust’s goal of a pedestrian-centric project was a good one, people were still going to need space for their cars while running errands.

“You can drop off groceries, drop off pets, do all that short-term stuff,” he said.

The initial proposal included one temporary parking spot for deliveries.

Dukes County Regional Housing Authority executive director David Vigneault attended the meeting to speak in favor of the project, with or without on-site parking.

“The housing authority is very happy with the trust’s effort here to offer units to folks with income below 60 per cent [median income],” he said. Mr. Vigneault said there are 63 one-person households and 62 two-person households on an affordable housing wait list that could potentially live in the apartments. In Tisbury, he said, there were 25 one-person households and 11 two-person households needing this type of housing. Mr. Vigneault said he did not know how many of the people had cars, but that the lack of on-site parking would not deter applicants.

“People live where they can, and they’re pretty happy to get the rents IHT is offering them,” he said.

After discussing possible parking solutions, including building three spaces on the property itself and requiring residents to secure a year-round parking permit for downtown Tisbury, the board opted to require that two spaces managed by the housing trust be included in the project, and that parking be available for every unit somewhere in town, whether at the Park and Ride lot or downtown. Residents without cars will receive a credit on their lease.

“We’re trying to create incentives to not have cars,” Mr. Jordi said.

Other conditions will ensure noise mitigation measures, such as triple-paned glass, in construction of the units, submitting a landscaping plan to the board and restricting delivery of the modular units to the off season.

Housing trust president Richard Leonard said that in spite of the lengthy process he appreciated that Tisbury did not immediately approve the project.

“It’s a compliment to the town,” he said. “The town knows the nitty-gritty . . . you know what to do with it.”