Grant County board sets April 28 hearing on vacating Jay Winters drain for Gas City redevelopment

The Grant County Drainage Board voted March 10 to set a public hearing for April 28 on a petition from Gas City Redevelopment to vacate the Jay Winters drain, a move the developer says is needed for a planned development east of 600 East.

Rudy Bugabine, with Randall Miller & Associates, represented the redevelopment commission and asked the board to set the hearing "to vacate the Jay Winters drain" through property owned by the commission. He said the project would route stormwater downstream to hook into the Heimlick regulated drain and that the developmentplans will be required to ensure no net increase in runoff.

Board members pressed for assurances the American Legion and other neighboring property owners will be protected if the drain is vacated and asked to see plans before any final action. Bugabine said the developer would present drainage plans at the public hearing and that the civil design will include detention measures so the site "will not discharge any more water than it does now." The board discussed statutory notice rules under the Indiana Drainage Code and scheduled the hearing to allow the developer time to provide plans and address concerns.

The boardapproved the motion to set the hearing by voice vote. Members said the public hearing will give affected landowners an opportunity to object and that the board may table any final action if the submitted plans are incomplete. The board also asked staff to circulate notices consistent with statutory timing for landowner mailings and legal advertisement.

Next steps: a public hearing will be held April 28; the board will review submitted development/drainage plans, and affected landowners may present objections at that hearing.