DEERFIELD — The site plan review hearing for a proposed solar array at 160 Conway Road was continued to August, as the applicant and the Planning Board will further examine concerns about water on the site.

Landowner Reinhard Schumann, in partnership with Bernardston-based Current Energy, is proposing the creation of a 424-panel solar array that would be made up of 10 rows of ground-mounted racks, spanning about 15,418 square feet of the empty lot. Schumann, who is based in Keene, New Hampshire, is seeking site plan approval from the Planning Board, a variance to reduce the 50-foot setback to 25 feet from the Zoning Board of Appeals and, if needed, approval from the Conservation Commission.

At Monday evening’s hearing, Schumann pitched the project to the Planning Board, as well as to the public, who expressed concerns over the plot of land, which they described as particularly wet.

“It’s actually a very simple solar installation,” Schumann said, noting there is only one direct abutter and he will be planting arborvitae to screen the array from the home. “From a wetlands standpoint, the only issue there is right about where the corner of the lot is. We don’t anticipate any disturbance to what’s there. … We will discuss that with the Conservation Commission.”

While Schumann said he doesn’t anticipate too much trouble with wetlands, residents in the neighborhood were concerned about the wet terrain, in general.

Direct abutter David Pratt said he is concerned about water pooling near his house due to the rain sliding off the panels.

“All I can picture is these 27-degree angle panels just making more water collection and more water coming to the property next door to me,” Pratt said. “My property values are going to go down because of this. … It is wet land all the time.”

Other residents, such as Kristin Maccully, said the field, which has been unused for several years, is important for keeping water away from their properties.

“It serves a really important purpose for our neighborhood because that’s where all the water accumulates,” Maccully said. “Our yards are wet and our basements are getting wet, and I want to know how we can make sure these changes aren’t going to affect our homes and communities.”

Schumann said the site’s grade will remain at its current level and storm runoff should remain the same. Additionally, he noted the town’s zoning bylaws will require him to plant wildflowers around the array, which will also help with water management.

“The runoff from a large rainfall will be pretty much the same as it is right now,” he said. “The total amount of water that ends up under that row is the same whether there’s a solar panel or not.”

Planning Board member Emily Gaylord said “water is an issue in Deerfield” and asked if Schumann would be willing to add more “plantings around the solar array to increase water retention.” Schumann replied that he will defer any decision on that until he hears back from a wetlands scientist he hired.

While the Planning Board awaits answers, its members opted to continue the hearing to Aug. 11 to allow Schumann more time to gather information.

The project documents can be viewed on the town’s website under the Planning Board’s calendar posting at bit.ly/3IgyqgU.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.