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DEL CITY — An Oklahoma City developer said he plans to leave it up to city officials to deal with protests over his $35 million retail development at Interstate 40 and Sooner Road in Del City.

Larry Owsley said he thought excavating the property out of a flood zone would be his biggest challenge when developing the land. That changed when the land was identified in the most recent U.S. Defense Department Air Installation Compatibility Use study as being in an "accident protection zone� for Tinker Air Force Base's Crosswinds Runway.

Del City officials say they don't plan to halt the development.

"Our commitment is with Del City and we're doing whatever it takes to comply with their requirements,� Owsley said. "We promised to bring a nice retail development to Del City, and we're going to keep that promise,� Owsley said.Opponents of the development say it poses two dangers by being in the accident protection zone. The first is the possibility of a plane crash. The second is that it could be seen as a mitigating factor when decisions are made by the U.S. Defense Department's Base Realignment and Closure Commission to close or decrease work forces at military bases.

The protests are largely from members of an Association of Central Oklahoma Governments committee who are considering a policy for compatible land uses at ends of Tinker Air Force Base's runways. The policy will be based on recommendations from the Air Installation Compatibility Use study and is being developed by a private consultant hired by ACOG.

The group is striving to have a policy adopted at a June 20 meeting.

At a meeting Friday, several committee members blasted Del City officials for allowing the development to proceed.

Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard Burpee, a member of the committee, appears to be the project's biggest critic.

Burpee asked the Del City delegation to write a letter taking full liability if a plane crashes on the property. He also posed a question to them: "what do you have against Tinker?�

Midwest City Mayor Russell Smith said he doesn't think the development is in the best interest of Tinker Air Force Base and is fearful it would be a safety hazard.

Del City Mayor Brain Linley, Del City Manager Mark Edwards and State Rep. Scott Inman, D-Oklahoma City, defended the project.

Linley said Owsley was working to develop the land long before the U.S. Department of Defense study was released, so they believe it should be "grandfathered in.�

Linley said no construction has occurred, but Owsley has already made a considerable investment in clearing the land and engineering the project. The city is obligated with a $6.2 million bond deal to pay for infrastructure for the project, he said.

"We can't just go out and say stop,â€� Edwards said. "Who is going to absorb that lawsuit?â