The Ventura County Planning Commission will hear an appeal from Chabad of Oak Park at 8:30 a.m. onThurs., Dec.16 regarding the synagogue’s request for an updated conditional use permit.

The county had earlier allowed a maximum 70-person occupancy for the synagogue’s Sabbath services.

In the past, residents said they oppsed the the extra cars, noise and trash that resulted from the synagogue activites.

Chabad maintained that its permit request would have no significant impact on the community and that the fire department allows a maximum occupancy of 145 people on the property.

The permit applicant, Rabbi Shlomo Bistritzky said the county’s denial of an updated permit could represent a possible violation of the federal RLUIPA (Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act) of 2000.

The Board of Supervisors sent the permit request back to the planning commission to re-evaluate the appellant’s claims.

The Dec. 16 hearing will be in the board’s hearing room at 800 South Victoria Avenue in Ventura.