A lone golfer drives golf balls from the shade of canopies at the Guam International Country Club driving range in Dededo, on CHamoru Land Trust property, on June 13, 2024.
CHamoru Land Trust Commissioner Fabrienne Respicio during a board meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
CHamoru Land Trust Commissioner Jeremy Rojas during a board meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
CHamoru Land Trust Commission Chair Earl Garrido during a meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
CHamoru Land Trust Commission program coordinator Dexter Tan during a board meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
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A lone golfer drives golf balls from the shade of canopies at the Guam International Country Club driving range in Dededo, on CHamoru Land Trust property, on June 13, 2024.
CHamoru Land Trust Commissioner Fabrienne Respicio during a board meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
CHamoru Land Trust Commissioner Jeremy Rojas during a board meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
CHamoru Land Trust Commission Chair Earl Garrido during a meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
CHamoru Land Trust Commission program coordinator Dexter Tan during a board meeting at the CLTC conference room in Tamuning on March 19, 2026.
The CHamoru Land Trust Commission on Thursday approved a three-year lease extension for the Guam International County Club, in preparation for building a solar farm on the Dededo property.
Approved unanimously after a lengthy back-and-forth, the lease extension would allow GICC to qualify for a 30-year commitment to sell power to the Guam Power Authority once the solar farm is built.
GICC authorized representative Carlos Camacho said GPA requires its vendors to commit to a 30-year partnership, which GICC could not manage unless its lease is extended.
Before Thursday’s board action, CLTC program coordinator Dexter Tan said the lease had about 27 years remaining until its expiration.
This extension would be added to a previous amendment made to the lease agreement to include solar farm activity on the property, Tan added.
Land Trust Commissioner Fabrienne Respicio questioned how the extension would impact the notice to proceed with a previously approved appraisal of the Dededo property.
She said an amendment to GICC’s lease would require legislative approval.
“I don’t want to delay the appraisal because that’s how we’re going to receive the funds,” Respicio said. “We don’t know when the Legislature is going to get to this. I’m concerned the starting point at the notice to proceed will not give the [tenant] enough time to operate. I want to have a better understanding, because I don’t want to extend that time.”
Tan told the Pacific Daily News that the appraisal of the property would determine its new lease value, or how much GICC would have to pay in rent per year for its remaining 30 years.
Attending via Zoom, CLTC Commissioner Joe Cameron confirmed that the appraisal could move forward while waiting for legislative approval of the amendment to GICC’s lease agreement, and that the appraisal would take into account all factors, such as the full 30-year term, the solar farm, and related activity by GPA and the Department of Public Works.
Respicio motioned for the board to approve the GICC’s request, and it was approved unanimously.
A second request of GICC’s that was discussed at the meeting, and was approved by CLTC, allows GPA to build a substation on its property, as well as an easement for accessibility.
The substation would use 3,012.72 square meters of the property’s 50,000-plus square meters.
Cameron initially motioned to deny GICC’s request, as the substation could be considered an accessory building to the solar farm and was not previously included in the lease amendment, but the motion failed.
Respicio proposed another motion to approve the request, calling it a win-win situation for CLTC and GICC, since the request is just to allow GPA to build the substation and “does not make for any kind of survey to carve these 3,000-plus square meters out of their lease.”
“Because it falls within the lease footprint, GICC will continue to pay for it. There will be improvements on the property, so at the end of the lease, those improvements stay with CLTC,” Respicio said. “It’s my understanding that this property will continue to be under the GICC lease, and the pending appraisal, that GICC will continue to pay for.”
Respicio’s motion was approved without opposition.
Later items on the agenda included Lots 440-4 and 440-5 in Malesso’, Tract 100-C, Block 6, Lot 3 in Dededo, and the CLTC’s fiscal year 2027 budget request.
The Malesso’ lots are currently leased to TransWorld Radio Pacific and being used as a relay station. However, the lease expires in June, and a request for interest was sent out by CLTC in January for new tenants.
No responses were received, but the Commission did receive a letter from Malesso’ Mayor Franklin Champaco, requesting to take over the lots to a community center, according to Tan.
Respicio suggested for the board to table discussion on the mayor’s letter until he could provide a clear plan for the properties, particularly whether its current cash flow would be maintained.
She asked the Land Trust staff to determine what the current rent is so it could be negotiated with the mayor.
“What is the current cash flow generated by this property? That would be the amount the mayor is asking the CLTC to remove from its cash flow, so this request would have to be thought about very deeply. Then we could provide that number to the mayor and see if he has an idea of how we could recoup that,” Respicio said.
In the meantime, Cameron motioned for the CLTC to put out a new RFI for the Malesso’ lots and continue searching for a new tenant. This was passed with no opposition.
Discussion on the Dededo lot was brief, deciding to declare and designate a portion of it for commercial leasing almost immediately.
The one line of discussion was a point of clarification from Cameron to limit the commercial use of the lot to two acres. His motion was approved unanimously.
The final item on the agenda was to approve the board’s budget request for FY2027.
Land Trust administrative assistant Tina Rose Tainatongo said the 2027 budget request is $2,003,457, decided according to a previous work session with the board.
“CLTC’s FY2027 budget request will allow us to fund and recruit the necessary positions for efficient operations. Furthermore, we will [ensure] timely processing of inspections and other tasks. The funding sources for CLTC’s budget are $821,748 from General Fund, $834,391 from the CLTC’s operation fund, and $347,318 from CLTC’s infrastructure fund,” Tainatongo said.
Tan told the PDN this new budget would support the hiring of 20 to 21 additional staff for CLTC.
He said notices of the new positions will be posted soon, and the Land Trust will start taking applications for them immediately after.
“Right now, there is only eight of us. The goal is to be an agency that is self-sustaining [with] our finances and hold our own money, because currently, all our cash is with the Department of Administration,” Tan said.
Reach reporter Uriah Aguon at uaguon@guampdn.com.
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Well put some abandoned cars and create 10 acre hazards on the golf course
Well when lou fired Mr. Herrera and replaced him with Caneron, would that not be an obvious action in order to push political agendas?
CLTC is not acting in best interest for the people of Guam. To take away a sports and exercise facility for what? Making a bunch money for some greedy people?
I suggest that some intensive investigation should be initiated by the Guam Legislature to bring to light the people who will benefit on this unwise ” investment “.
Where are the solar panels originate from?
At end of life of those panels, who and how will the panels be disposed off?
What is the environmental impact?
Has the War department been notified regarding this questionable decision?
Public land should be for public use, not a money making machine. Is it really wise to allow solar panels to be installed over an aquifer? Who will be responsible for removal when, inevitably, the leasee stops paying the rent? Is the power generated worth the environmental risk even with the new power plant up and running? I don’t think the decision to allow a solar farm was in the best interest of the public.
With the dire need to address the shortage of 10,000 affordable homes and homes in general on Guam as per GHURA, this would have been a perfect place to build. Our leaders at the legislature do not have the welfare of our people as a priority. It’s time for major changes in Hagatna!
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