Reasonable public access is the last sticking point in moving forward a project to build 30 townhomes at Lake Tulloch.

For four hours Tuesday, the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors heard testimony from property owners for and against developing a new subdivision on the site of the Resort at Lake Tulloch. At the core of the debate was ensuring easy passage to the water.

“There has been a lot of public opposition over the public access issue,” said Shawn Parr, the attorney for the applicants. “But whatever happens, the resort will be closing soon.”

Before supervisors was an appeal of an earlier decision made by the Planning Commission concerning the Villa del Lago development. At a June 5 meeting, planning commissioners decided not to certify the mitigated negative declaration and to refer the project back to staff for redesign.

Certification of a negative declaration relieves developers of the need to do a complete Environmental Impact Report, which is a much more comprehensive and thorough review of a project’s impact on the environment.

According to the California Environmental Quality Act handbook, a negative declaration is used when there is no substantial evidence that the project will result in adverse impacts on the land.

Abramson, Andreas and Bernadette, Trustees, et al., proposes to erect 30 1,900- to 2,800-square-foot townhouses on the 70-acre site. In addition, the plans call for garages and docks for each unit.

On Tuesday, the supervisors and the packed audience were shown brightly colored renderings of Villa del Lago. Architect Don Grover’s presentation switched back and forth from pictures of drab existing structures and parking areas to the clean lines of the Mediterranean-style subdivision.

However, many property owners weren’t swayed by the attractive designs displayed on a screen before them. Instead, one after another took the opportunity to decry what they said would be bring down the home values in their community.

It did seem that the whole project was a goner when Steve Felte of the Tri-Dam Project, addressed the supervisors, saying that the Army Corps of Engineers had placed a moratorium on any new docks.

At the conclusion of Felte’s remarks, Supervisor Tom Tryon questioned the need for the hearing at all.

“If there is a moratorium then what are we doing here?” he asked.

Janice Elliot from county counsel said that they were providing the applicant with a chance to be heard.

“They have to have due process,” she said. “That’s what we are doing here today.”

Being heard did seem to weigh in the applicant’s favor. By the end of the four-hour hearing, agreements had been hammered out around density issues and building over the water, many of the proposed units are on stilts and extend into the lake.

However, the applicant’s proposed 10-foot-wide area of public access didn’t cut it.

Supervisor Russ Thomas, who advocated for a very much-downsized project, spoke against such a small area.

“It’s like a sleeve on a jacket, I am just not thrilled with a 10-foot access point,” he said.

The applicants responded that they would be willing to leave the access as is and contribute $30,000 for improvements to other spots on the lake.

With that, the supervisors declared that the hearing would be continued until Aug. 12 for further review.