DEERFIELD — While showing initial support on April 5, the Select Board continued a hearing on increasing Tree House Brewing Co.’s occupancy limit to this Tuesday as members review the details of the proposed plans.

After operating for more than a year in South Deerfield with a 500-patron occupancy limit, business representatives appeared before the Select Board to request an amendment to its farmer series brewing permits to increase occupancy to roughly 1,500 people to support outdoor concerts and other larger events. Board members noted that Tree House has been hosting concerts for more than a year, including an outdoor show last year, and they have not received any complaints.

Tree House attorney Mark Borenstein said the increased occupancy would help the brewery attract more “world-class” artists and bands, which can attract even more tourists to Deerfield — one of the brewery’s primary goals, as it’s a mutual benefit for both the business and the town. Borenstein was joined by Sarah Maggie Morin, Tree House Deerfield’s chief of staff, and Tree House Regulatory Specialist Allison Masley.

“The intent of Tree House was to cultivate a destination at this location, and that was also the intention of the town,” Borenstein told the board. “The applications before you this evening are the next level, the next step in making this a tourism destination.”

Laying out the business’ plan, Borenstein said they expect to have 10 outdoor concerts throughout the summer. If granted, he noted that Tree House would take a measured approach to increasing the size of its shows and would avoid going to maximum capacity at its first show.

“There’s a lot of great acts between Boston and New York that would love to come to Deerfield,” he said. “We’re seeking this modification here to test, but also allow us to scale up to that level. We’re not going to be up to 1,500 right away. … We’ve got to walk before we can run.”

Tree House’s property and grounds will not be undergoing any changes, other than the temporary addition of portable toilets, which Select Board member Carolyn Shores Ness said she is not a fan of. Those may not be a permanent problem, though, because Borenstein said Tree House is willing to commit money to bathroom facilities if its concerts are financially successful.

During public comment, resident Bob Decker raised concerns about noise and parking.

“I want to make sure you think this thing through,” Decker said. “That’s an awful lot of people.”

Borenstein noted the business had an audio study conducted during the brewery’s initial permitting process in 2021, which found the ambient noise level of Routes 5 and 10 to be 85 decibels and a concert on the property to only reach 90 decibels.

As for parking, Tree House uses a “conservative” estimate of two people per car for its 282 parking spaces on its property. Borenstein said the business has an agreement with Yankee Candle to use its corporate office and flagship store parking lots during larger concerts. Tree House will also contract with a private shuttle company to try to eliminate any foot traffic on Routes 5 and 10.

Decker also suggested there should be a way to reserve tickets for Deerfield residents so the townspeople can get into the shows. Borenstein said the 500-person capacity limit reduces residents’ chances of getting tickets, but with more tickets available, residents will have a better chance to get one.

“I’ve missed out on shows and I’m the attorney for Tree House,” he quipped.

Finally, Borenstein requested Tree House’s hours get extended to 11 p.m. on concert evenings — on a typical evening, the taproom closes at 8 p.m. — and to open at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Shores Ness said the board was receptive to the extension.

“We’ve had no complaints through the whole year you’ve been in operation,” she said, “so, I have no problem with extending hours.”

As the Select Board and town officials check over the fine details of Tree House’s proposed plans and send them to town counsel for review, Chairman Trevor McDaniel suggested the board continue the hearing to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, which the board and Tree House agreed to.

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