Central Bucks EMS is considering relocating its ambulance base in Solebury Township to a township-owned former New Hope Crushed Stone quarry property at 6970 Phillips Mill Road.
At the public meeting last week, the Solebury Township Board of Supervisors authorized municipal staff to negotiate lease terms for the site.
The next step will involve working out specific lease terms, improvement plans, and addressing the timeline questions raised by supervisors. A final agreement would return to the supervisors for formal approval at a future meeting.
The emergency medical service, which covers Solebury Township and New Hope Borough, currently operates from the New Hope Eagle Fire Company but needs to find a new location as their agreement has expired and space constraints have become an issue.
“The agreement between Central Bucks EMS and New Hope Eagle has expired,” said Township Manager Christopher Garges. “They have a limited amount of time until they have to either try and renew the agreement and renegotiate terms or move to a different location.”
The proposed arrangement would allow Central Bucks EMS to occupy and modify an existing building on the recently purchased township property.
The service would staff the location 24 hours a day, seven days a week with up to two members to maintain the current level of coverage the squad provides.
Under the proposed terms, Central Bucks EMS would fund all improvements to both the interior and exterior of the building. The township would not charge rent, but the service would be responsible for utilities and insurance costs, officials said.
“They would fund the improvements to the interior, the fit out as well as any exterior improvements,” Garges explained.
The new location would offer fast emergency response times to different areas of Solebury Township while maintaining rapid access to River Road and Sugan Road, Garges said.
The 24-hour staffing would also serve as an added security presence for the 166-acre property.
Township staff recommended limiting the lease to 15 years and restricting improvements to the existing building footprint. Exterior architectural changes would require township review and approval.
Supervisor John Francis expressed concerns about the length of the lease. He noted a shorter term would be more appropriate given the township’s uncertain long-term plans for the quarry property.
“We don’t have a handle on a master plan for the whole of the quarry property yet,” Francis said.
He proposed a five-year lease instead, stating the township will have a clearer vision for the park property within that timeframe. The supervisor added he expects the building to one day be taken down.
Garges noted that Central Bucks EMS leadership indicated they would need at least 10 years to recoup their investment in facility improvements.
Residents’ concerns about noise from ambulance sirens were addressed during the discussion.
Central Bucks EMS Chief and Executive Director Chuck Pressler told Garges sirens would typically only be used at major intersections or traffic areas and not in the quiet residential neighborhood surrounding the site.
“With the quiet nature of that area, they wouldn’t anticipate that sirens would be utilized directly in that neighborhood,” Garges said.
The emergency service uses a more compact ambulance similar to delivery trucks rather than larger, boxy ambulances, which should minimize traffic impact.
The squad’s call volume varies significantly, with periods of 12 to 24 hours sometimes passing without emergency calls, officials said.
Central Bucks EMS was established in 1959 and serves multiple municipalities in Central Bucks County. In addition to Solebury Township, it has stations in Doylestown, Wrightstown Township, Warwick Township, and Warminster Township.
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