Board approves rooftop solar at 180 Kost Road with emergency‑training and decommissioning conditions

Silver Spring Township supervisors voted unanimously Dec. 17 to approve a conditional‑use application for rooftop solar at 180 Kost Road, subject to an Emergency Response Plan acceptable to the township emergency management coordinator, training for local responders paid by the applicant, and a decommissioning agreement consistent with the project lease.

The action followed a presentation from applicant counsel Cory J. Dillinger and testimony from Dimension Energy project manager Lawrence Xing and GEI project manager Vincent DiCastelnuovo. Dillinger told the board the project — proposed by Silver Spring Kost CSG 1 LLC (a Dimension Energy affiliate) — would place 6,299 panels on an existing warehouse roof to produce roughly 2.25 megawatts AC and would require no water or sewer service.

Xing said the proposed panels are industry‑standard silicon modules and that the company monitors systems remotely, performs two to three preventative maintenance visits a year and carries insurance. “We do have eight PSF of solar capacity,” Xing said regarding the structural feasibility analysis, adding that the firm’s structural engineer uses strict FM Global standards when evaluating dead and snow loads.

DiCastelnuovo, the project’s site engineer, summarized the site plan, noting the array sits well inside the township’s setback requirements and that electrical lines will transition from an underground transformer pad to an overhead riser pole before proceeding to the street. He also reviewed a desktop noise study showing the predicted 40/50/60 dB contours would not reach nearby residences or exceed the township standard at the property line.

Township emergency management coordinator William Brown urged clear, practical plans for training and a local point of contact who can be onsite during an emergency. Brown told the board responders need to know where to stand and not interact with the high‑voltage equipment: “It’s extremely high voltage electricity that we really can't do anything with anyway, because it’s always going to be energized.” Dillinger and Xing said the applicant will provide annual onsite training and is willing to pay for the Bucks County Community College solar‑panel awareness program targeted to the fire service.

On decommissioning, Dillinger pointed to Lease Section 6.3, which requires the tenant to post a letter of credit to the landowner and to remove equipment within 90 days of lease termination. Solicitor Sean M. Shultz said the township would accept a Decommissioning Agreement consistent with the lease that would require township security only if the landlord released its security to ensure no gap in coverage.

Supervisor Laura Brown moved to approve the conditional use with the conditions outlined by the solicitor; Nancy Konhaus‑Griffie seconded. Chair Carldon R. Machamer called the vote and all supervisors present voted in favor.

The board’s approval specifies that, prior to building permit issuance, the applicant must submit an Emergency Response Plan acceptable to the township’s emergency management coordinator (including the scheduled training), and execute a Decommissioning Agreement consistent with lease terms that protects the township if the landlord’s security is released. The applicant and staff said they will continue to coordinate final ERP language and the contractor or local technician responsible for emergency responses will be identified before energizing the project.