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Committee backs bill letting districts lease unused land longer for solar, storage or affordable housing
Summary
Senators approved a bill to let Colorado school districts lease underutilized property for any term of years when used for solar fields, energy storage or affordable housing, after testimony from school finance and community representatives and one opponent worried about long-term taxpayer impacts.
A Senate committee voted to let local school boards authorize long-term leases of district-owned property when the lease is used for community solar, energy storage or "affordable" housing projects, rather than limiting leases to a 10-year maximum.
Supporters said the change gives districts more financial flexibility and allows public–private projects that require longer payback periods. "We were right down to the last minute until we found out that we could only lease the surface of our land for 10 years," said Scott Smith of CASE and CFO of Cherry…
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