KNOX — For a second time, the Knox Planning Board heard from neighbors of the site of the proposed Community 2.0 solar array on Route 156.

A previous hearing was continued after the planning board discovered that LaBella  Associates, the solar company’s engineering firm, had not contacted a number of residents within the vicinity.

At the May 11 hearing, while some expressed interest in a structure that would provide renewable energy — even if it would not be for the town — others worried about construction, the viewshed from their homes, and the effect on the wildlife in the area.

The public hearing began with a presentation by Steven Longway and Jared Pantella of LaBella, explaining that metal and glass arrays would be set up on a 32.5 acre parcel in the residential zone of Knox. The property is in the Guilderland Central School District, as it is just on the border of Guilderland.  Community 2.0, also known as U.S. Solutions Inc., had originally proposed an array in Guilderland, but the village of Altamont recommended the application be disapproved by the town, and the company withdrew its application.

A payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program, known as PILOT, would provide funds to both Knox and the Guilderland school district.

The property is currently owned by Vesta Community Housing, a company run by Peter Young Housing (the Peter Young Center in Altamont is not far from the property), which would sell the land to Community 2.0. The land is bordered by homeowners including Robert and Carly Digeser, Suzanne and Kevin Hale, and Joseph Breitenbach, all of whom attended the May 11 hearing and voiced concerns about the arrays, as did several others in the gallery.

An access road will be built to reach the panels, with two turn-around points. The property also goes up a steep incline, so the access road to the panels requires 7,700 cubic yards of stone and fill material, or about 770 truckloads, to decrease the grade. The property will be enclosed by a chain-link fence with a vinyl coating with a 50-foot setback from the property line.

Debra Nelson, a planning board member, explained that the zoning law Knox passed last year allows for solar arrays to be set up outside of the hamlet’s business district, such as in the residential district where Community 2.0 is seeking permission to build.

Resident Robert Digeser questioned the estimated amount of land that would be impacted. Pantella had shown projections of just under 12 acres of land being cleared for the panels, but did not add in land affected by the access road or fencing. Pantella later estimated 13.3 acres of total affected land.

Breitenbach said he felt clearing and fencing off areas would affect wildlife. The site was visited on May 8 by the Army Corps of Engineers to look at effects at the wetlands on the property. The company is also subject to regulations under a permit through the Department of Environmental Conservation that will regulate air pollution from dust from the fill and stone grading.

The Hales, who had said at the last hearing that the view of the array from their home had not been visualized in images provided by LaBella due to the height of the home, were upset because they said the updated image still did not demonstrate what their view of the site would be, saying it appeared that there was little change in the angle of perspective.

One resident was positive about the idea of the arrays. Fran Porter said her concerns about construction and increased traffic were outweighed by her concerns related to fossil fuels — such as crude oil shipped on trains traveling through nearby towns and the potential for pipelines carrying oil to leak. She said any renewable energy was beneficial.

“The more renewable energy we have, the less we have to fear the transport of fossil fuel,” said Porter.

The planning board agreed to make a decision on the array at the next meeting on June 8 at 7:30 p.m. or at an earlier special meeting.