The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee has vowed to continue its legal fight with the Oak Bluffs planning board, but paying for the court battle could be complicated.

The legal battle over a turf field at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School will continue after the Oak Bluffs planning board voted Tuesday to appeal a recent state Land Court decision that allowed the field to bypass local zoning review. 

The Oak Bluffs board of health held off on making a decision about a moratorium that could stall plans for a new artificial turf field at the regional high school.

The Edgartown board of health this week voiced its support for a moratorium on artificial turf fields that is currently under consideration in neighboring Oak Bluffs.

In a brief two-page judgment Wednesday, state Land Court judge Kevin Smith threw out the Oak Bluffs planning board’s denial of the project, saying it is protected under a provision of state law that allows educational uses to skirt some zoning restrictions. 

Attorneys for the town of Oak Bluffs and the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee made their final arguments Friday morning before state land court judge Kevin Smith in the dispute over a planned artificial turf field at the school.

Both the town of Oak Bluffs and the regional high school committee believe the ongoing dispute over an artificial turf field should not go to a full trial, but the two parted ways on how the case should be resolved.

Looking to quell a persistent dispute among constituents, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee this week voted to ask for a written legal opinion on the longstanding school district practice of accepting cash donations without requiring identification.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional School committee is seeking a commitment from Oak Bluffs not to appeal a judge’s ruling in the ongoing dispute over a proposed artificial turf playing field.