The Monroe Town Board voted in a 3-1 decision to give Kiryas Joel lead agency status in the environmental review process over their new proposal to take 164-acres of land from the town.
The new plan was proposed last week after a highly-contested proposal for 507-acres has been continually delayed by the state for months.
The decision did not go over well with residents, who packed the Monroe Senior Center for the meeting over the controversial land deal with the Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel.
News 12 has reported that they downsized the request because the smaller parcel is already approved for development. The request for the 507-acre parcel is still in place.