Oak Bluffs took another step toward creating a town cultural district Tuesday as selectmen gave the green light to the proposal after several weeks of discussion.

Designated cultural districts are part of a Massachusetts Cultural Council initiative intended to encourage tourism, business development, and local cultural development. There are about 35 cultural districts around the state, including districts in Aquinnah and Vineyard Haven.

Work has been underway to create a similar district in Oak Bluffs that would include the town’s historic and cultural areas as well as beaches and parks. Discussions began before the selectmen in December and continued at a recent meeting. The town planning board also discussed the proposal, backing the larger of two proposed districts.

Oak Bluffs Association director Christine Todd said selectmen needed to lend their approval so the town could hold a public hearing about the proposal. The cultural district would ultimately be approved by the state.

On Tuesday board chairman Gail Barmakian reiterated concerns about potential restrictions, and that residential areas were included without talking to residents. She suggested altering the map to focus on historic or cultural activities.

Oak Bluffs Association Dennis daRosa said the proposal had been long discussed and vetted by several groups, and cautioned against micro-managing the map. “We spent a lot of time looking at it and this is not an adverse situation,” he said. “We’re calling parts of the town a cultural district...which is a fine way of defining anything, as far as we’re concerned.”

Parks commissioner and business owner Amy Billing said she also had concerns, noting all town parks were included. “I still don’t quite get what it means,” she said, adding that the parks commission wasn’t included in early discussions.

Ms. Todd pointed out further discussion could take place at the public hearing.

“I think it’s time to move it on,” selectman Michael Santoro said.

Selectman Walter Vail said he was also ready to push the proposal along. “I think that what the OBA has presented certainly makes a lot of sense to me,” he said.

The board voted 4-1 to go forward and hold a public hearing about the cultural district, using the larger district approved by the planning board. Ms. Barmakian voted no. “I fully support this,” she said. “I think the public needs to have a little more flexibility with the map.”

The public hearing will take place in the early summer, when seasonal residents can attend.

In other business selectmen approved three ballot measures for the April 13 town election.

The board approved a non-binding ballot question asking whether voters are in favor of establishing a regional housing bank to address the Island’s housing needs. The non-binding question has been proposed by the ad-hoc Vineyard Housing Bank Citizen’s Committee, and originally stated initial funding for the housing bank would come from a portion of each town’s Community Preservation Act funding.

But as members of the group made the rounds before Island selectmen they found resistance to the idea of designating CPA funding for the housing bank. Edgartown selectmen declined to add the question to the town meeting warrant, and selectmen in Tisbury and West Tisbury agreed to add the ballot question if references to CPA funding were removed. Chilmark will revisit the proposal later this month.

Committee member Richard Leonard told Oak Bluffs selectmen Tuesday that the referendum would make a statement about the commitment voters would like to see towards affordable housing options. If there is support from voters, he said, the committee could bring back more concrete plans next year.

After some discussion about other options, including looking at the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank, and concerns about the broadness of the question, the board unanimously approved the non-binding question.

Selectmen easily approved a so-called proposition two and one half debt exclusion ballot question that would allow the town to borrow money to construct a new town hall; the amount required was not yet available.

The board also unanimously approved a non-binding ballot question asking voters whether they approve eliminating rental mopeds on the Island. Because of confusion between the town and the Mopeds Are Dangerous Action Committee, the question was not submitted with enough signatures to automatically appear on the ballot and required approval from selectmen.

With little discussion the board voted to put the question as written on the ballot. “Just because we’re voting to put it on [the ballot] doesn’t mean we’re taking a stance,” Mr. Santoro said.

Selectmen will meet next week to go over draft warrants for the special and annual town meetings.

Selectmen approved a special permit to allow a non-conforming home business for Richard Morris, who runs a wood-splitting operation at his County Road property. Mr. Morris cuts the wood off-site and then splits and stores the wood at his property.

Several residents attended the meeting to support Mr. Morris. “I am a close abutter and I don’t find it objectionable at all,” Peter Martell said. “I think he does a great job of it.”

Selectmen also received a letter complaining that the property is an eyesore, a sentiment echoed by planning board member Bo Fehl. “I’m totally against it,” he said. “I drive by as much as everyone else and it drives me nuts...if we let this go through where do we draw the line?”

Mr. Morris offered to put up a six-foot stockade fence, plant trees along his property line, and move the operation further away from the street.

Selectmen unanimously approved the permit with those conditions, as well as a gated fence on the driveway and using James Place as an exit/entrance. Mr. Morris agreed to take those steps by April 30.

In other business selectmen heard from Vineyard Transit Authority administrator Angela Grant about proposals to convert the VTA bus fleet to electric vehicles and appointed town administrator Robert Whritenour as town records access officer. Selectman Gregory Coogan also announced that he has retired, for the third time, from teaching at Tisbury school.