The Village of Albion Planning Board moved quickly Thursday evening to approve operational changes for a local waste disposal facility, while progress on the village’s long-term Comprehensive Plan remains in a holding pattern. During the brief November 14 meeting, the board focused its attention on ARG Disposal, located at 366 Washington Street. The company sought a permit modification for the site, which required planning board oversight under site plan review regulations. According to the minutes, Board Member Michael Massaro made a motion to approve the application, which was seconded by Board Member Jeff Holler. The vote passed unanimously with Chair Karen Conn presiding. The approval process involved several steps mandated by the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR). The board first voted to become the "Lead Agency" for the project, a designation that places the Planning Board in charge of the environmental review process. They subsequently voted to complete the necessary SEQR forms. The board determined that the permit modification would not have a significant adverse impact on the environment. Consequently, a motion to accept a "Negative Declaration" under SEQR was made by Holler and seconded by Massaro. This declaration allows the project to move forward without the need for a lengthy, full-scale environmental impact statement. The specifics of the permit modification were not detailed in the minutes provided. While the business regarding ARG Disposal was concluded swiftly, the board’s other major agenda item highlighted a bottleneck in the village’s administrative processes. Board members discussed the status of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, a group tasked with updating the village’s master plan for future development and zoning. The update is apparently contingent on the status of a grant. However, the Planning Board reported that they have received no update regarding the grant from Mayor Eileen O'Brien or the Village Board of Trustees. To break the deadlock, Holler volunteered to reach out to Deputy Mayor Wendy Riley next week. The board expressed hope that this contact will lead to a resolution and allow the Comprehensive Plan process to move forward. The meeting also included a brief moment of confusion regarding the date of the next session. The minutes released by Deputy Clerk Jessy Holz list the next regular meeting as October 10, 2024, which appears to be a clerical error given that date has passed. The Planning Board adjourned at 5:28 p.m.