Drainage board delays drain‑vacation tied to Gas City redevelopment, seeks drawings and written assurances

The Grant County Drainage Board on Thursday declined to vacate the J.W. Winters drain without additional written and technical assurances from Gas City and the developer behind a proposed large redevelopment.

During a public hearing, surveyor Rudy Bucking of Random Miller & Associates, speaking for the Gas City Redevelopment Commission, described the project as a major multi‑phase development and said the developer and the city would take responsibility for repairing and managing drainage tied to the J.W. Winters tile. “This proposed development is a $350 million investment that will bring 150 full‑time jobs in phase one and roughly 600 at full build‑out,” Bucking said, and he told the board the developer would fix or otherwise absorb any drainage work associated with the site.

Board members welcomed the economic potential but repeatedly raised concerns about downstream property protection, especially for the American Legion parcel that still appears to be served by the old tile. A number of commissioners said they were unwilling to release county control of the tile without clear evidence the Legion and any remaining affected landowners would be protected.

Tim Spurgeon, president of the Gas City Redevelopment Commission, and David Blfield, Gas City’s attorney, offered a remedy: Gas City would provide a written commitment and suggested the board condition approval on receiving that document. “We will provide that in writing,” Spurgeon said. Blfield suggested a contingent motion so negotiations could continue while the county gets documented assurances.

After debate — including concern that developers typically do not complete full civil designs until later in the planning process — the board voted to table the vacating motion. The board’s action requires Gas City to supply: (1) a written guarantee that Gas City or the developer will remediate any drainage issues affecting adjoining landowners, and (2) a drawing or exhibit showing how runoff from the American Legion (and other parcels the board identified) would be handled after the vacation.

Next steps: the board asked staff to place the item on the next agenda once the drawing and the letter are received. If the documents satisfy the board, members indicated they could reconsider vacating the drain without exposing the county or property owners to open, unbudgeted maintenance costs.

The board’s vote to table was procedural; no change to the public hearing record was made and no formal vacating took effect.