WATCH LIVE: National Capital Planning Commission hearing considers plans for Trump’s ballroom

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal panel reviewing President Donald Trump’s plans to build a ballroom at the White House has scheduled April 2 for a final vote on the project, the panel’s chairman said as the agency prepares to further consider construction plans.

The commission is on break until one o’clock in the afternoon. Watch the live stream in the video player above.

Will Scharf, chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission and a top aide to the Republican president, made the announcement Thursday at the start of the committee’s March meeting.

Read more: An Arts Commission made up of Trump appointees approves his proposal for a massive ballroom in the White House

The committee will hear additional details about the project from the White House and its staff, and was expected to vote on Thursday.

But Scharf announced that the vote had been postponed to April to give every member of the public who wanted to comment a chance to do so. More than 100 people registered to comment at Thursday’s meeting, which was held online as a result.

The committee was also inundated with dozens of written comments about Trump’s plans to build an additional 90,000 square feet (8,360 square metres) where the East Wing of the White House once stood. Trump said the cost would be about $400 million and would be paid for with private funds. Trump demolished the East Wing in October.

Read more: Conservationists are suing Trump over the ballroom project’s review and congressional approval

Scharf said the meeting was held online to facilitate the public testimony portion, which he said would likely extend into Friday given the number of people who have registered to speak.

“They take time from what I assume are busy schedules to join us,” he said. “One way or another, we will make sure that members of the public have the opportunity to be heard on this project.”

Critics of the project argued that Trump should not have demolished the East Wing until the National Capital Planning Commission and a separate commission, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, had reviewed and voted on his plans. The Fine Arts Commission approved the project last month.

Read more: Who pays for Trump’s $300 million auditorium?

The National Foundation for Historic Preservation, a private nonprofit group, has asked a federal judge to temporarily halt construction until the White House submits plans to federal commissions and Congress for approval and allows the public to comment.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon denied the request last week, and the foundation said it plans to file an amended lawsuit.