Developer presents 75 MW Long Branch solar plan; board presses for tile survey and repair assurances

Developer representatives presented conceptual plans for a 75-megawatt solar project that would cover about 700 acres annexed by Gas City and include module arrays, four gravel access roads and four underground cable crossings.

Arthur Bowden, who identified himself as representing BRG, told the board his team had worked with Gas City engineering staff on drainage-minimizing design and that they planned to perform a tile-probing survey, GPS-tag trunk tiles, and agree to conditions for individual crossings. Bowden said the project will set panels and other infrastructure 75 feet from the top bank of identified county tiles and would provide a financial security instrument so the county can call on funds to remediate any construction damage.

Board members and local residents pushed the developer on how it will identify and protect century-old private tile, noting many owners lack maps. Several speakers urged a perimeter and probing survey, including trunk-line probing at intervals, to identify major tile lines before construction. One board member noted that if an access road or heavy vehicle crosses a shallow tile, it might be necessary to reinforce or replace the affected segment, and that agreement language should require repair rather than leaving the county chasing liabilities.

Bowden and his team said they will return for a consent hearing on December 9 and supply more detailed maps and drainage assessments, including modeled runoff comparisons. The developers emphasized they will not change drainage outflow in aggregate and said infiltration basins and detention ponds are part of the design to meet Gas City release-rate limits for the 10- and 100-year storms.

The board asked that the developer provide clear documentation of the tile survey approach, proposed mitigation for crossings, and the form and amount of financial security to ensure timely repair if construction causes damage. The board did not vote on the project at this meeting; developers invited follow-up questions and indicated they will return with more complete materials for the December hearing.