Developing any future expansion plans for the lands surrounding the Hamilton International Airport shouldn't proceed until the city's peak oil study is completed, says a few members of the liaison committee.

Michael Desnoyers, co-chair of Hamiltonians for Progressive Development, and a member of the airport employment growth district community liaison Committee, urged city planning officials to finish the peak oil study before completing phase two of the airport employment land process.

"To deny it is borderline incompetence," said Mr. Desnoyers.

With rising fuel prices, airlines dropping flights, and ratcheting up costs, and the transportation companies suffering ever higher expenses, Mr. Desnoyers said it is imperative that a study be conducted on what type of businesses should be located in the employment lands area. He said planning staff have targeted about 69 per cent of the employment land for warehousing and transportation businesses.

"You don't run a truck on electricity," he said. "There is a direct connection."

The controversial peak oil study has been in the hands of city staff for about two-and-a-half years, said Mr. Desnoyers.

The peak oil study had been championed by Flamborough councillor Dave Braden, and then by Ward 1 councillor Brian McHattie.

"My confidence (on the study being completed) is very low," said Mr. Desnoyers.

City planning staff should also examine the impact climate change will have on the airport lands, said Lynda Lukasic, another member of the CLC. She pointed out based on Hamilton's projected growth patterns over the next 20 years, the environment will be significantly impacted.

Guy Paparella, director of industrial parks and airport development, acknowledged the peak oil study has taken a "long" time to be completed, but he said it's in the hands of the city's long-range planning people. The peak oil study, along with other long-term reports, will be done concurrently with Phase 2, he said.

"It will include the airport," he added.

Mr. Paparella, though, was more frustrated about the criticism the provincial government has leveled against the city's planning projections for the airport lands.

He told the CLC, provincial officials have identified six issues in the airport land study they are opposed to, but they have not properly explained why.

"We want to know where do we conflict on provincial policy," said Mr. Paparella. "They have not provided one."

Mr. Desnoyers responded that he could easily identify "examples of blatant violations of the provincial policy statement."

He said while the city has relied on a number of technical experts, the province has been unable to cite one expert to justify their complaints.

"This is (the province's) opinion," he said. "Council wants to know too."

In a June 20 letter to the city, the province criticized the city for overestimating the number of jobs the airport lands will create; failing to consider using brownfield lands in the city's downtown area to accommodate Hamilton's employment growth needs; and warning the city was too optimistic in filling up the city's industrial parks.

Mr. Paparella said provincial planning staff have stated they believe the airport lands are "too big"and they have suggested shrinking the plan.

In June Mayor Fred Eisenberger suggested to city planning staff that Hamilton could reduce the airport land redevelopment planning process and only proceed on a small area, while leaving the other unemployment lands to be developed at a later date. Tim McCabe, general manager of planning and economic development argued it would be too expensive, and inefficient.

"Council still wants to go forward (with the entire plan)," said Mr. Paparella.

The city recently completed phase one of the airport employment land study and has started phase two of the process. Under the second part, officials will examine the area's infrastructure, the transportation, which will include traffic studies, rail links, pedestrian areas, storm water and how much the investment will cost. The studies will look at how to accommodate the development into 2031.