Pueblo West Metropolitan District officials discussed a proposed lease for a solar array sited on a portion of the district’s former airport property and asked staff to confirm several contract details before moving forward.

The matter surfaced at a work session when staff noted a pending resolution on grid alternatives and a solar lease for land near a Black Hills substation. Board members asked staff to confirm whether contract language removed proposed in-ground structural elements and to verify the lease term being negotiated.

The discussion centered on three practical concerns: whether the location could limit future development as land values rise, whether the lease should include an early-termination or relocation clause, and whether the district was selecting the site primarily because of existing substation infrastructure. Staff described the parcel as part of the district’s “hundred and some acre parcel of the old airport property,” and said an original solar farm on the property had been done by lease rather than sale to avoid a minor land subdivision.

Staff indicated past long-term leases on the property had been structured as 99-year agreements for permanent positions, but said the current proposal “I believe goes 20 years, I’ll double check.” Board members asked staff to confirm the final lease length and to verify that the contract removes any specification for embedding I-beams or similar subgrade structures that could complicate future redevelopment.

Several board members suggested alternate locations—such as near the waste management facility—if the goal is to avoid visual impacts or potential conflicts with future commercial development. Staff noted the chosen site’s proximity to existing distribution infrastructure makes it attractive to the developer and likely more feasible from an interconnection and grant-funding perspective.

No vote was taken; staff said they would confirm contract language, the lease term, and other options before the item returns to the board for formal action.