For the second time in a month, a large crowd sat for nearly four hours in the Colt School auditorium and listened to people talk about the controversial Belvedere at Thames proposal for downtown Bristol.

Except this time, they were doing the talking. The public was given three and a half hours Thursday night to share opinions on the plan to build a three-story building at the corner of State and Thames streets that would house a restaurant, 20 apartments, 61 parking spaces and a rooftop pool.

And for the second time in a month, everyone went home without a decision.

The combined meeting of the Bristol Planning Board and Bristol Historic District Commission ended at 10:45 p.m., when both boards closed the hearing to the public.

When they reconvene on Thursday, June 21, at 7 p.m. in the Colt School auditorium once again, it will be time for the town boards to finally say what they think — and presumably to vote.

On May 10, developer Jim Roiter and his team of architects, consultants and attorneys made a lengthy presentation to both boards on their proposal for that mostly empty downtown lot, across from Bristol Harbor. They were followed by an attorney hired by abutters opposed to the project, and he presented witnesses and testimony that last nearly an hour and a half. That meeting ended with no one from the public having a chance to speak.

On Thursday night, the public had its chance, with no time limits or restraints. Over the course of more than three hours, 28 people made statements, ranging from a minute or two, to more than 15 minutes. Proponents talked about the economic benefits of new business and new residents in the downtown shopping and dining district, while objectors criticized the scale of the building, its design, its location in a flood plain in the face of global rising seas, the economics of the plan, the streetscape, the precedents it would set, the developer’s history and motivations (trying to maximize profit), and the destruction of Bristol’s historic character and charm.

Neither Mr. Roiter nor his team spoke, nor did the attorney representing the objecting abutters. When the meeting resumes June 21, both sides, led by their attorneys, are expected to have one final closing presentation, and then it will be time for the two boards to discuss, ask questions, and potentially take votes to approve or deny the proposal.

Note: This report was filed shortly after the meeting ended. More complete coverage of the statements from both sides will be posted later and be reported extensively in the next edition of the Bristol Phoenix.