Joanna Chapman and Julia Kollek of Protect Our Dundas (POD) say city officials have met with the owner of the property, Doug Hammond, about the project without keeping POD informed of the discussions.

There have been suggestions by city officials the proposed storage facility could undergo a few changes, including relocating the entrance and changing the colour of the building. But Ms. Kollek told councillors POD remains opposed to the storage facility even being constructed on the property.

“We have a communication problem,” said Kollek. “We have no idea what the new plans will be. The proposal is just in the wrong place.”

Ms. Chapman said she saw an item in the in-camera section of the economic development and planning committee meeting’s agenda last Sunday and felt sick. She began to search for more information. POD representatives discovered the item focused on the storage issue and sought to delay any council decision until they could meet with city officials.

“This is like being knifed in the back,” said Chapman. “We have at least a 50-50 chance of winning the case. This is about transparency and cooperation.”

Kollek said city officials have even been “confrontational” with POD since the issue went before the Ontario Municipal Board.

“We have the feeling we are being edged out,” she said.

City lawyer Michael Kovacevik told councillors he was “surprised” at POD’s attitude. He said POD is “not interested in settling” and is opposed to the property’s land use, which makes a settlement almost impossible.

The project is currently scheduled for a four-week OMB hearing, an increase from the previous two-week time frame, in January, 2010.

Councillors earlier this year unanimously rejected the official plan and rezoning amendment changes to allow the storage facility. City planning staff, though, supported the proposal. The recommendations include changing the OP on the property from parkland to general commercial and rezoning the land from parks and recreation to highway commercial.

First Dundas Leasing Limited appealed council’s decision to the OMB.

Kollek said if the OMB allows the project, it will become the largest self-storage facility in the city, covering five acres of land with 450 units and open 24 hours a day.

Not only did council reject the recommendation, but opposition also came from the Hamilton Conservation Authority, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Bay Area Restoration Council and Councillor Russ Powers’ community council. There was also a petition against the facility signed by about 1,500 people that was presented to council during the debate.

Kollek said POD would even help the city defray part of the cost of the OMB hearing. She didn’t know how much it will cost, but because of the significant impact the facility would have on the community, the organization was willing to share any expenses with the municipality. Since council went against city planners’ recommendation in opposing the storage facility, Hamilton has hired an outside planning consultant to defend the decision.

The hearing has attracted the interest of most of the Dundas community. Initially over 60 people were granted participant status at the hearing. POD, though, contacted everyone and whittled the number of people to speak against the storage facility down to 15.