Council moves up aerotropolis decision
Eisenberger manages to get committee to back off delay
June 23, 2010
Emma Reilly
Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/794952
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger managed to convince city council tonight not to delay a decision on aerotropolis until 2011.
Instead, the decision will be made in late September. And there will be three public meetings over the summer as opposed to just one.
Last week, the economic development and planning committee voted to shelve any decisions on the future of the airport employment lands until next January to allow more time for public consultation. That decision was reversed – at tonight’s council meeting.
The delay came out of a presentation to the planning committee last Tuesday on the draft secondary plan for the airport employment growth district. The plan must be endorsed by council before it's officially released for public feedback.
Staff originally recommended that public consultation take place over July and August, leaving enough time for staff to report back for a council decision in September. However, councillors argued the timing would catch residents during their vacations.
But the earlier push to delay the controversial airport development and put off any decisions until after October's election drew fire from the business community.
Eisenberger said last week that he would lobby his colleagues to reverse committee’s ruling.
Here are the results of the vote. In favour of moving forward before the election were:
Eisenberger and councillors Duvall, Pasuta, Collin, Merulla, Morelli, Pearson, Mitchell, Powers, Jackson and Whitehead.
Opposed were councillors Bratina, McHattie, Clark, Ferguson and McCarthy.