The discussion regarding Larsa Banquet Hall and its Amethyst Way neighbors, who have filed noise complaints against the center, will be reprised at both the City of Turlock and Stanislaus County Planning Commission meetings on Thursday. 

As of October, 67 noise complaints had been filed against the Larsa Banquet Hall — which is owned by the Mar Addai Church and located at 2107 E. Monte Vista Ave., in Denair — in the last five years, namely by Amethyst Way neighbors. Some neighbors took to the podium before the Stanislaus County Planning Commission in October to express their exasperation and concerns when the commission convened to decide whether or not to revoke the center’s license. However, no decision was reached as Stanislaus County Counsel discovered that the noise ordinance within the Stanislaus County Code could be unenforceable.

In turn a continuation for further study was granted and on Thursday county commissioners will reconvene to decide Larsa’s fate. Commissioners could either call for a public hearing to consider amending the center’s Conditions of Approval based on an acoustic study from March 17; or, the commission could direct staff to take no further action.

The City of Turlock sent a letter to the county planning commission requesting that the county consider amending the Conditional Use Permit to limit the hours of operation to no later than 10 p.m. seven days a week. Presently, events can last until 1 a.m. on Saturdays at the Larsa Event Center.

“This type of time-of-day restriction has proven very successful when applied to projects within the City Limits and I believe that such a restriction would be helpful in addressing the complaints from the neighbors,” stated Deputy Director of Development Services Debbie Whitmore in the letter.

In the letter, Whitmore states that she has fielded complaints from individuals who say the noise disturbances have taken place for roughly six years.

“I am dismayed that, at this late date, the County has made a determination that its Noise Ordinance is ‘flawed’ and cannot be used as a standard to enforce compliance with even the most basic of noise ordinance criteria…” wrote Whitmore.

Whitmore will also be providing an update to the Turlock Planning Commission on Thursday.

“The reason we put it on our agenda is because the project is located in our sphere of influence,” said Whitmore.

Spheres of influence are boundaries established by the Stanislaus Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO. This commission exists in part to oversee boundary issues and serve as an intermediary between local agencies when limits are adjacent, like the Larsa Hall area which borders Stanislaus County and the City of Turlock.

The Stanislaus County Planning Commission will convene to vote on the item at 6 p.m. Thursday at 1010 10th St. in Modesto at the Chambers- Basement Level. The City of Turlock Planning Commission will also meet at 6 p.m.  on Thursday at the City of Turlock’s Yosemite Community Room located at 156 South Broadway.