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Agenda packet

Agoura Hills City Council
September 9, 2026

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Agenda packet
Meeting
September 9, 2026
Body
Agoura Hills City Council
Pages
39
Original file
12.5 MB
Text extracted from the city's file for reading and search. Open the original on s3.us-west-004.backblazeb2.com. That file is the official record.

AGENDA

REGULAR MEETING

AGOURA HILLS CITY COUNCIL
Civic Center - Council Chambers
30001 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills, California 91301
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
6:00 PM
VIA ZOOM:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81057752824
Webinar ID: 810 5775 2824
VIA TELEPHONE:
+1 669 444 9171 OR +1 669 900 6833
Signup for E-Notify on the City’s website for electronic Agenda notifications and/or other City updates.

Please silence all cell phones and electronic devices during the live meeting. To prevent interference with the audio/visual system, do not join the Zoom Webinar from within the Council Chambers.

City Council meetings are held in person in the Council Chambers, 30001 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills. Members of the public may attend and participate in person, participate remotely via Zoom, or watch the meeting live on the City’s website or YouTube. See the “Public Participation” section of this Agenda for information on submitting public comments and participating in the meeting.

City Hall and the Council Chambers are wheelchair accessible. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals requiring special assistance, disability-related modifications or accommodations, or auxiliary aids to participate in the meeting may contact the City Clerk’s Office at (818) 597- 7300. To help ensure that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide appropriate access, notification is requested at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting or time when services are needed.

ATTEND OR WATCH THE MEETING
City Council meetings are held in person in the Council Chambers and remotely. The Council Chambers doors will open to the public 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. Remote meetings begin at the scheduled start time and may be viewed on the City's website at agourahillscity.gov under “Watch Meetings” or on YouTube by searching “Agoura Hills City Council” and selecting the meeting date; archived meetings are also available on both platforms. Zoom participants are automatically muted and may view, listen, and provide audio public comment when permitted (see “Public Participation”). Meetings are recorded, and all rules of procedure and decorum apply to both in-person and remote participants.

CALL TO ORDER

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Cub Scout Pack 227

ROLL CALL
Mayor Jeremy Wolf
Mayor Pro Tem Deborah Klein Lopez
Councilmember Kate Anderson
Councilmember Chris Anstead
Councilmember Penny Sylvester

REPORT OF CLOSED SESSION

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

PRESENTATIONS

INTERGOVERNMENTAL, SPECIAL PURPOSE COMMITTEE, AND DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS Reyes Adobe Days 2026 Update - Community Services
Clean Power Alliance (CPA)

PUBLIC COMMENTS
(This section is reserved for persons wishing to address items not listed on the Agenda that are under the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. Please refer to “Public Participation” below for full details on how to speak or submit written public comments under this category.)

CONSENT CALENDAR
(Items on the Consent Calendar may be approved by a single motion and vote. Unless pulled by the City Council, there will be no separate discussion of these items. This section is reserved for persons wishing to address items on the Consent Calendar. Comments are limited to three (3) minutes per speaker for the entire Consent Calendar, not per item. Please refer to “Public Participation” below for full details on how to speak or submit written public comments under this category.)

1. Approve Demand Warrant Register 958
RECOMMENDATION: Approve Demand Warrant Register No. 958

2. Approve a Notice of Completion for the Driver Drain Stormwater Improvement Project; NIB 26-01 RECOMMENDATION: 1) Approve, and accept as complete, the work of Sam Hill & Sons, Inc., for the Driver Drain Stormwater Improvement Project; NIB 26-01; and
2) Authorize the Director of Public Works to sign the Notice of Completion for the project, and authorize the City Clerk to forward the Notice of Completion to the County Recorder for recordation.

3. Adopt a Resolution Establishing a Meeting Disruption Policy for City Council and Planning Commission Meetings
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution No. 26-2146; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE

CITY OF AGOURA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A MEETING DISRUPTION POLICY FOR CITY COUNCIL, PLANNING COMMISSION, AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE BODY MEETINGS.

PUBLIC HEARING / ORDINANCE
(This section is reserved for persons wishing to address items listed under Public Hearing / Ordinance. Please refer to “Public Participation” below for full details on how to submit written public comments or speak under this category.)

4. Conduct a Public Hearing, Waive Full Reading, and Introduce an Ordinance (Case No. PZ-2026-68-ZOA) and Adopt a Resolution Approving a Specific Plan Amendment (Case No. PZ-2026-89-SPA) RECOMMENDATION: 1) Waive Full Reading, and Introduce Ordinance No. 26-488; AN ORDINANCE OF THE

CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AGOURA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING ARTICLE IX (ZONING) OF THE AGOURA HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO AMEND THE COMMERCIAL USE TABLE I IN SECTION 9312.2, REGULATIONS REGARDING SPECIAL CONDITIONS (§ 9312.3) AND OFF-STREET PARKING (§9654 ET SEQ.), RENUMBER THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES SECTION IN PART 13 (STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC USES) OF CHAPTER 3 (COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS), ADD NEW MINISTERIAL APPROVAL STANDARDS FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENTS WITH A TYPE 41 OR 47 LICENSE,

CREATE NEW EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL STANDARDS, AND MAKE OTHER MINOR TEXTUAL CHANGES

FOR CONSISTENCY, AND MAKING A DETERMINATION OF EXEMPTION UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) (CASE NO. PZ-2026-68-ZOA; APPLICANT: CITY OF AGOURA HILLS); 2) adopt Resolution No. 26-2147; A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF

AGOURA HILLS, CALIFORNIA APPROVING A SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT TO THE AGOURA VILLAGE

SPECIFIC PLAN (AVSP) TO ESTABLISH A STREAMLINED REVIEW AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL

PROCESS FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECT TYPES, ALIGN ON-SALE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENT

USE PROVISIONS WITH THE MUNICIPAL CODE, AND MAKE A DETERMINATION OF EXEMPTION UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA). (CASE NO. PZ-2026-89-SPA; APPLICANT: CITY OF AGOURA HILLS), and, 3) make a determination of exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Ordinance and the Specific Plan Amendment.

DISCUSSION / ACTION
(This section is reserved for persons wishing to address items listed under Discussion / Action. Please refer to “Public Participation” below for full details on how to submit written public comments or speak under this category.)

5. Emergency Management Program Update
RECOMMEDNATION: Provide any feedback to staff and receive and file the Emergency Management Program Update; no formal action required.

CITY COUNCIL, STAFF COMMENTS

ADJOURNMENT
The next Adjourned Regular City Council Meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m., on TUESDAY, September 22, 2026, in the Council Chambers of the Civic Center. The Civic Center is located at 30001 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills, California.

Members of the public are invited to participate in all Regular City Council Meetings. In accordance with the Brown Act, agendas packets are posted at agourahillscity.gov and agendas are posted on bulletin boards at City Hall, the Agoura Hills Library, and the Recreation and Event Center at least 72 hours in advance. Regular City Council Meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month in the City Hall Council Chambers at 30001 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills, California.

The telecast of the Wednesday, Wednesday, September 9, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting will be broadcast on Channel 10 for Time Warner Cable subscribers and Channel 3 for Charter subscribers and run daily until the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting. The broadcast schedule is as follows: Sa-10am; Su-3pm; M-7pm; T10am; W-3pm; Th-10am; and F-7pm.

Any disclosable public records related to staff reports or other written documentation for each item of business on this Agenda, or writings or documents distributed by the City to the City Council less than 72 hours prior to the meeting (other than writings legally exempt from public disclosure), will be available for public inspection in the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall (30001 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills) during regular business hours and posted on the City’s website.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (PUBLIC COMMENT)
Members of the public may comment, in-person in the Council Chambers or remotely via Zoom, under general public comment, if within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council, or on any item listed on the Agenda. Speakers will be called in the order of speaker cards submitted or hands raised on Zoom (audio only).

Each speaker will have three (3) minutes to speak per item and a speaker’s time may not be transferred to another speaker. Written comments will not be read aloud by the City or another speaker. All speakers addressing the City Council are to refrain from disorderly conduct that disrupts or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting.

Option A: In-person participation (Council Chambers)
All attendees are requested to silence electronic devices during the meeting. To speak in-person at the live meeting, complete and submit a Speaker’s Card to the City Clerk prior to the Mayor announcing the item.

Option B: Remote participation (Zoom Webinar or by Phone) Individuals wishing to speak remotely (audio only) must be present in the Zoom Webinar (link above) when the item is called and use the “Raise Hand” function in Zoom to request to speak. When recognized by the City Clerk, press the unmute button and provide comments. Individuals joining by telephone, dial the number(s) listed above and enter the Webinar ID. To request to speak, press *9 and when called upon by the City Clerk, press *6 to unmute and provide comments. Participants wishing to comment on additional agenda items must remain in or rejoin the Zoom Webinar as needed.

Option C: Written public comments prior to the meeting
Written public comments may be submitted by email to [email protected] no later than 4:00 p.m. on the meeting date. Please include the agenda item number or topic in the subject line. Written comments will not be read aloud during the meeting. Comments received after the deadline may not be considered during deliberations or included in the official record. Those wishing to comment after the deadline may do so during the live meeting, either in person or via Zoom.

Date Posted: September 3, 2026

REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
DATE: SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: NATHAN HAMBURGER, CITY MANAGER
BY: ALEJANDRA KINCHELOE, ACCOUNTING SPECIALIST
SUBJECT: APPROVE DEMAND WARRANT REGISTER 958
Demand Warrant Register No. 958 is hereby submitted for your approval.

FISCAL IMPACT
All items on the Demand Warrant Register are budgeted items; and all the items, when aggregated and annualized, are found to be within budget.

RECOMMENDATION
It is respectfully recommended the City Council approve Demand Warrant Register No. 958.

Attachments
Demand Register 958.pdf

REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
DATE: SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: NATHAN HAMBURGER, CITY MANAGER
BY:

KATRINA GARCIA, ASSOCIATE PLANNER

ROBBY NESOVIC, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
SUBJECT:

CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING, WAIVE FULL READING, AND INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE (CASE NO. PZ-2026-68-ZOA) AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT (CASE NO. PZ-2026-89-SPA)
As part of the ongoing effort by the City Council and the Economic Development Team to improve the City’s business activity, the City hired Kosmont Companies to conduct a Retail Market Assessment which evaluated the City’s current economic landscape and identified areas for improvement. The Economic Development Team conducted additional outreach with the business community through networking events, meetings with property owners and real estate professionals, as well as with local businesses. During the June 10, 2025 Land Use and Economic Development Subcommittee (LUEDC) meeting, staff presented the results of their outreach. One economic development challenge identified was the permitting process.

Working in conjunction with the Community Development Department, staff was tasked to identify barriers in the Zoning Ordinance (Article IX) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code (AHMC) that typically hinder new businesses from operating successfully in the City. At the July 28, 2025 LUEDC meeting, staff presented three areas in the Zoning Ordinance that typically create barriers for businesses:

1. Outdated commercial use table with limited flexibility

2. Lengthy and costly approval process for new restaurants serving alcohol.

3. Restrictive parking requirements.

Although it was not previously mentioned at the July 28 meeting, staff also proposes to amend the Agoura Village Specific Plan (AVSP) to clarify and streamline the process for minor changes to existing buildings and align on-sale alcohol beverage establishment provisions with the AHMC. The proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments and Specific Plan Amendments attached to this staff report detail the specific sections that are proposed to be changed to alleviate the barriers that restrict businesses. Furthermore, in response to local retail trends identified by the City’s consultant, the proposed amendments would modernize and expand the Code’s reach to address a dynamic retail environment. In addition to the changes associated with the barriers, minor fixes were included in the draft ordinance amendment which include grammar and spelling corrections, removal of sections that conflict with state law, relocation and renumbering of sections, and adjusted language for inclusivity.

On August 6, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the approval of a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt the Zoning Ordinance Amendment and the Specific Plan Amendment. During the meeting, the Planning Commission requested two minor changes to the draft Ordinance. The first change was to reduce the parking reduction incentive from 10% to 5% for those that choose to implement a smart parking system. The second change was to increase the parking reduction incentive from 5% to 10% for those that install at least 10% worth of tree canopy coverage over the parking lot area. The purpose of the change is prioritize the planting of shade trees, while still making the smart parking system an option.

Furthermore, the Planning Commission also requested a change to the proposed Specific Plan Amendment under the proposed “Exempt Project” section of Chapter 7 of “E. Agoura Village Specific Plan Administration.” Staff originally proposed a change to the AVSP that would exempt projects from the AVSP process if the alterations or improvements didn’t exceed 10% of the existing approved floor area, in which case, the project would be subject to an administrative approval by the Director. The Planning Commission believed that the exemption was too broad and may result in separate projects over time to be approved that would be too substantial for an administrative review. During the meeting staff revised the language to distinguish the difference between two types of exempt projects: 1) Alterations and improvements that don’t add floor area such as window/door changeouts, some exterior finishing changes, and other alterations that don’t substantially modify the architectural character of the buildings; and 2) Additions of enclosed patios or new shade structures such as trellises or attached pergolas to existing tenant spaces so long as the exempt additions don’t cumulatively exceed 500 sq. ft.

In addition to the changes that the Planning Commission proposed, staff also presented additional clarifying language to Chapter 7 of the AVSP, under “G. Nonconforming Uses,” which redirects all projects on all buildings and uses that are considered nonconforming, to be subject to an AVDP, unless the project falls under the “Exempt Projects” section as amended by the Planning Commission. During deliberations the Planning Commission voted and recommended approval of the Municipal Code and the AVSP amendments (Attachment 3 - Resolution 26-1326).

This report aims to summarize and explain the purpose of the proposed substantive changes outlined in the Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment. The specific language changes are provided in the attached draft amendments as Attachment 1 (Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment) and 2 (Draft Resolution for the Specific Plan Amendment). Ultimately, staff believes these updates will improve administrative efficiency and modernize the code to better reflect today’s business landscape. By simplifying procedures and removing outdated barriers, these changes will encourage businesses to invest in the City and ensure the City’s commercial centers are occupied and thriving.

As previously mentioned, the City’s Commercial Use Table (§ 9312.2) is outdated and doesn’t address certain modern businesses, creating an unintended barrier. The preceding section, § 9312.1 (Similar and like use), states that if a use is, 1) not listed in the table, 2) not permitted explicitly in the respective zoning code section, or 3) if the Planning Commission has not made an interpretation identifying a similar use, then the use is prohibited. Under the current process the business owner would be subject to significant fees and a process of at least a couple months for an item to be presented to the Planning Commission—in most of these instances the business owner decides to back out and locate outside of the City. To expedite and modernize the City’s approach and prevent the loss of quality businesses, this section is being amended to grant the Director the authority to make “similar use” interpretations based on specific findings. The Director's decision may be appealable to the Planning Commission and, subsequently, the City Council.

Kosmont’s Retail Market Assessment found that there is a demand for experience-based business types which includes art galleries, restaurants, breweries, interactive uses, etc. Although art galleries, restaurants, and breweries are already allowed in the City, a recent trend has evolved to incorporate an interactive component. In that regard, “Experiential Retail” is proposed to be added to the commercial use table and will be allowed in all commercial districts, subject to special conditions outlined in a new section of the code- -9396.2.

The new § 9396.2, under Part 13 (Standards for Specific Uses) of Chapter 3 (Commercial Districts) expands on minimum operational standards for “Experiential Retail.” Experiential Retail offers a broad range of use types including, but not limited to escape rooms, art installations, virtual reality experiences, and interactive ways to immerse patrons in their brands such as workshops, and creative ways to test and use products instores. Given that the use is so broad, this gives the Director more flexibility to allow certain uncategorized uses to be interpreted as being similar to Experiential Retail, provided they operate in compliance with the Code. In that regard, staff also recognizes that there is potential for more sound amplification within the space, whether it’s music or intermittent sound effects. To ensure impacts on sensitive uses and adjacent businesses are minimal, all by-right experiential retail uses are only permitted to operate within an enclosed building in compliance with the City's noise and vibration requirements, as well as, other general commercial use operational and performance standards (Section 9305), and any outdoor use or amplification would be subject to a Conditional Use Permit. In some instances, these use-types may result in outdoor queuing; as such, staff proposes specific language that requires all queuing to be unobtrusive to adjacent tenants and the general public to ensure a safe and orderly environment.

To accommodate demographic shifts and new residential growth, staff proposes amending the commercial use table (§ 9312.2) to allow "supermarket/food store" by-right in the Commercial Retail Services (CRS) zoning district. Currently, this use is restricted to the Commercial Shopping (CS), Commercial Neighborhood (CN), and Commercial Shopping-Mixed Use (CS-MU) zones. Because CRS-zoned lots are primarily situated along the 101 Ventura Freeway corridor, and existing grocery stores are located exclusively north of the freeway, this amendment will provide opportunities south of the freeway. Expanding by-right permissions to the CRS district will potentially reduce or shorten vehicle trips for families moving into new nearby housing developments.

Another barrier the Zoning Ordinance Amendment addresses is the City's lengthy and costly process for restaurants to operate with an on-sale retail liquor license. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) issues licenses to various establishments depending on the business type, which include retail (e.g. restaurants and liquor stores), wholesale (e.g. distributors selling to retailers), and manufacturing (e.g. distilleries, breweries, and wineries). Most of the alcohol establishments that operate in the City currently hold a retail license which allows for on- and off-sale of alcohol. Typical ABC licenses for retail include, but are not limited to the following:

Type 20 – Off-Sale Beer & Wine: Issued to retail stores to sell beer and wine for off-site consumption.

Type 21 – Off-Sale General: Issued to retail stores to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits for off-site consumption.

Type 41 – On-Sale Beer & Wine – Eating Place: Issued to restaurants for the sale and consumption of beer and wine only in bona fide eating establishments where minors are allowed.

Type 42 – On-Sale Beer & Wine – Public Premises: Issued to bars and taverns for the sale and consumption of beer and wine only, and restricts minors from entering the premises. Food service is not required.

Type 47 – On-Sale General – Eating: Issued to restaurants for the sale and consumption of beer, wine, and distilled spirits within a bona fide eating establishment where minors are allowed.

Type 48 – On-Sale General – Public Premises: Issued to bars and nightclubs for the sale and consumption of beer, wine, and distilled spirits, and restricts minors from entering the premises. Food service is not required.

As currently written, any on-sale and off-sale alcohol establishment is subject to a CUP, regardless of the type of license. For example, if a fast casual restaurant desires to sell beer (i.e. Blue Agave Tacos & Beer and Two Doughs Pizzeria), it would require a CUP. A CUP for a use with no exterior modifications typically takes at least 3 months from application intake to a public hearing. This time frame accounts for corrections and back-and-forth with the applicant, public noticing, drafting the staff report and resolution, and internal reviews. Typically, staff informs the applicant that they have the option to operate the restaurant without alcohol and then only after approval of the CUP would they be able to serve alcohol. However, other than having to pay application fees for the CUP, not being able to serve alcohol during that period may hinder the success of the restaurant as it can be a major revenue source that business-owners rely on, both for general patronage and guest spending.

As a remedy to this situation, staff suggests allowing restaurants that are bona fide public eating places to be permitted ministerially or by-right, subject to specific provisions outlined in the proposed amendments.

The purpose of this is to expedite requests to serve alcohol in new or existing restaurants that plan to operate exclusively under a Type 41 or 47--where food service is required. In general, a full-fledged family restaurant generates inconsequential impacts, in comparison to a bar or night club with a Type 48, or a liquor store with a Type 21. While the review process is streamlined, all establishments approved under the ministerial process would still be subject to ABC requirements, including, but not limited to maintaining employee training for Responsible Beverage Service, and maintaining a “Bona Fide Public Eating Place” as defined under § 23038 of the California Business and Professions Code, which states:
“Bona fide public eating place” means a place which is regularly and in a bona fide manner used and kept open for the serving of meals to guests for compensation and which has suitable kitchen facilities connected therewith, containing conveniences for cooking an assortment of foods which may be required for ordinary meals, the kitchen of which must be kept in a sanitary condition with the proper amount of refrigeration for keeping of food on said premises and must comply with all the regulations of the local department of health. “Meals” means the usual assortment of foods commonly ordered at various hours of the day; the service of such food and victuals only as sandwiches or salads shall not be deemed a compliance with this requirement. “Guests” shall mean persons who, during the hours when meals are regularly served therein, come to a bona fide public eating place for the purpose of obtaining, and actually order and obtain at such time, in good faith, a meal therein. Nothing in this section, however, shall be construed to require that any food be sold or purchased with any beverage.

Furthermore, under the amended section, § 9396.1 (Alcoholic Beverage Establishments), staff proposes to regulate the hours of alcohol service to no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and no later than 10:00 p.m., which corresponds with the City's general quiet hours (i.e. 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) This also means that if restaurants close after 10:00 PM, then alcohol service is expected to cease before the restaurant and the kitchen closes, otherwise, the use would be in violation of ABC and City regulations. If violations occur, the Director may also suspend or revoke the approval, within the parameters allowed by the AHMC. To further ensure the Director has the ability to revoke these permits, Section 9679 is being amended to allow the revocation of all permit types, not just discretionary permits.

Streamlining these types of establishments encourages the occupation of vacant tenant spaces with minimal cost and internal procedural barriers.

Another common barrier that businesses encounter when choosing to operate in the City is the parking requirements for their proposed use. The City currently has a parking allocation table (§ 9654.6) which dictates the required parking for each type of use ranging from general retail stores, research facilities and game arcades, to name a few. Each use-type is assigned a parking ratio based on the gross floor area of the use. For example, a clothing store moving into a 1,500 square-foot tenant space is required to provide 1 space per 250 square feet (sq. ft.) of gross floor area of the space; therefore, the new clothing store would have to provide or be allocated six (6) parking spaces on the lot. In some instances, the shopping center may be under-parked, meaning the parking requirement exceeds the supply of the existing parking spaces provided. If a tenant does not have a means to either add parking or reduce the parking requirements, the business owner may opt to relocate out of the City or into another shopping center.

When businesses inquire about tenancy within a specific shopping center or commercial property, staff conducts a preliminary review to determine if the use is permitted and if parking appears sufficient. This initial evaluation utilizes historical City records, such as City-managed spreadsheet calculators; however, these calculations depend heavily on property owners providing current tenant rolls, as parking requirements vary based on specific land uses.

Because factors such as tenant turnover and internal suite reconfigurations occur, relying solely on potentially outdated City data for a final determination on whether a business can be adequately parked, is not ideal for staff or the business owner. In some cases, these preliminary reviews suggest a deficiency of 1 to 4 parking spaces. Before solidifying that the use cannot be accommodated due to parking deficiency, staff directs the business owner to coordinate with the property owner to provide an updated parking analysis, ensuring the evaluation is based on current site conditions. While some businesses return with updated data to demonstrate parking compliance, others decide not to move forward once they realize that additional steps and coordination with the property owner is necessary.

The AHMC currently offers several methods to reduce parking requirements. Below is a discussion of some of the methods and how it can still be a barrier for some businesses:

1. Modification (§ 9676.2) - This allows for a parking reduction of up to 10% via Director-level approval. A common issue is that this process is frequently overlooked because it is located outside of the standard off-street parking regulations (§ 9654 et seq.) and small businesses may not be willing to cover application fees for a minor parking deficiency.

2. Variance (§ 9676.2) – For reductions greater than 10%, a discretionary review by the Planning Commission is required. Most business owners are reluctant to pay the application fees for a process with an uncertain outcome.

3. Preferred carpool/vanpool (§ 9654.2.E) – A property owner can reduce parking by up to 2% by providing shaded or prime parking spaces for carpools. This provision would be more beneficial for larger developments. This is also rarely feasible for minor tenant changes, as it requires the property owner to physically restripe or modify the parking lot.

4. Special Parking Review (§ 9654.2.E) – This process allows a property owner to justify a reduction by demonstrating that site uses have different peak demand times, or special parking programs are in place to alleviate congestion. To utilize this, an applicant must submit a site plan and a parking study prepared by a licensed traffic engineer for review at a public hearing with the Planning Commission.

While this option is available, the cost of engineering and the public hearing process is generally not financially feasible for a single tenant addressing a minor deficiency.

5. Shared Parking (§ 9654.2.K.5) – The intent of this provision is to standardize parking reductions based on general information (i.e. hours of operation) that is known of certain uses such as office, retail, and restaurants. Rather than hiring a professional to conduct a parking study of all uses on the site, this code section sets percentages that allow certain combinations of uses prevalent in the shopping center to reduce their parking by a certain percentage. Applying the shared parking provision requires updated data from the property owner, in order for this section to be utilized effectively.

The goal in amending the current parking regulations is to expeditiously process business licenses and tenant improvements for minor use changes, and improve the readability and functionality of the current parking reduction system. As such staff proposes to enhance § 9654.2.E (Parking Reductions) to allow parking reduction requests to be reviewed at the Director-level and include the following methods:

1. Simple Change of Use – This process will allow use changes of tenant spaces under 5,000 sq. ft. to transition between different use categories without extensive parking investigation or formal parking analyses, provided the uses fall within the tiered table shown below and as proposed under Section 15 of the draft Ordinance (Exhibit A). This allows for an expedited review during the business licensing or tenant improvement process. Since the parking requirements for these categories range from 1 space per 200 sq. ft. (high) to 1 space per 300 sq. ft. (low), the maximum possible parking difference for a 5,000 square foot space is 8 spaces:

Requirement at 1/200 rate: 5,000 / 200 = 25 spaces
Requirement at 1/300 rate: 5,000 / 300 = 17 spaces (rounded) Maximum Deficiency: 8 spaces
Tier Required Ratio per § 9654.6 Uses
Tier 1 1 space per 200 sq. ft. Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Offices; Salons and Spas (hair, nails, massage, and acupressure).

Tier 2 1 space per 225 sq. ft. Libraries, Galleries, and Museums.

Tier 3 1 space per 250 sq. ft.

General Retail; Game Arcades; Snack Shops/Take-out
(no outdoor dining); Fitness Clubs and studios; and any other use requiring 1:250 as determined by the
Director.

Tier 4 1 space per 300 sq. ft. Business and Professional Offices; Banks and Financial Institutions; Experiential Retail; Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and specialized patient programs.

By establishing this 5,000 square-foot threshold, staff can quickly approve minor tenancy changes where the potential impact on the overall parking supply is minimal. Staff is also open to adjusting the floor area threshold to a smaller number to decrease the maximum potential deficiency to less than 8 spaces. However, staff believes that a maximum potential deficiency of 8 spaces for small-scale tenant spaces is negligible and outweighed by the economic benefit of quickly filling commercial vacancies.

2. Modifications – As previously mentioned, this process already exists in the code, but is being reiterated in the Parking Reductions section for visibility. This process can be used to reduce parking if the business owner doesn’t qualify for the Simple Change of Use.

3. Preferred Carpool/Vanpool – The concept remains the same, with minor grammatical fixes. The purpose is to allow reduction of no more than 2% of the required parking if preferred spaces are created for carpool/vanpool participants.

4. Staggered Peak Demands – Most shopping centers contain a variety of businesses with different operating hours. For example, a dental office that closes at 5:00 p.m. leaves its parking spaces available for evening uses, such as restaurants. While this "shared parking" concept is already allowed by the Code, the proposed amendment makes the provision easier to find and simpler for applicants to understand.

5. Smart Parking Systems – With the ongoing advancement in technology, many parking lots and structures in California have adopted systems that include sensors or cameras which produce real-time data that is then relayed to drivers searching for parking through a digital parking count board, or overhead lights indicating whether a space is available. This ensures guests are not circling endlessly in a parking lot consuming fuel and causing congestion. However, the proposed code amendment doesn’t limit it to these methods, but leaves it open for any future technology or other smart systems that a developer is willing to install. Providing a smart system will allow developers to reduce the parking by no more than 5% of the cumulative total of the center.

6. Parking Lot Beautification – Many of the City’s shopping centers are aging and would benefit from better maintenance. This provision offers an incentive for property owners to reduce parking by up to 10% of the cumulative requirement, if they increase the tree canopy coverage of the parking lot by at least 10% of the parking lot’s area. This would be a benefit to the City as planting trees near buildings is becoming more limited due to fire regulations. This incentive will help increase the City’s overall canopy coverage and further enhance the urban canopy.

7. Shared Parking – This provision exists in the current code but was restricted by shopping center size.

Staff has removed those size thresholds—which were outdated and didn’t align with modern parking trends—to make the existing shared parking table available to all centers, including those below 25,000 square feet. This allows more owners to use an objective method for parking reductions without the expense of a professional parking study.

The intent of the amended code is to allow businesses and/or property owners to combine different parking reduction methodologies, as applicable, and as allowed by the Director. If the parking reduction request poses a hazard and potential parking shortage issues, they would have the ability to deny the request, which can then be appealed to the Planning Commission.

Other changes in the City's parking requirements (Section 9654 et seq.) include new definitions for Parking Capacity or Supply, Parking Demand, Required Parking, and Parking Study, as well as, language clean-up and reorganization of Section 9654.3 (Design Standards) for clarity.

To ensure a business-friendly environment citywide, staff also proposes to amend the AVSP--specifically regarding which project types require an Agoura Village Development Permit (AVDP). As currently written, all new development, redevelopment, or renovation of existing property within the AVSP is subject to an AVDP which triggers a $4,000 deposit for the concept review and an additional $8,000 deposit for the formal review. There is no exemption for smaller projects, such as routine maintenance projects, small additions, refacing, landscaping, adjusting window/door openings, adding patio covers, or any type of minor work that would not result in a substantial physical changes. These minor updates are still currently subject to an AVDP, which de-incentivizes upgrades to existing centers. As such Chapter 7. Administration of the AVSP is being amended to include a subsection called "Exempt Projects" under "E. Agoura Village Specific Plan Administration," and will identify projects that would be exempt from an extensive and costly review. This section was also further amended by the Planning Commission during the August 6th public hearing, as previously discussed.

To ensure a clear application of this new provision, staff also proposes to amend the threshold for nonconforming uses. The current regulation requires that all projects in the AVSP that are legally nonconforming (predates the City or the AVSP), and includes an increase of more than 200 sq. ft. or a major modification, as defined in the AHMC, or non-habitable structures of 100 sq. ft. or more, are subject to the development standards of Chapter 2 of the AVSP. Staff proposes to remove the project thresholds specifically for nonconforming buildings and uses and defer all such projects to a standard AVSP or, if within the parameters of the "Exempt Projects" threshold, it would be subject to an administrative review by the Community Development Director.

The AVSP currently requires all alcohol establishments to acquire approval of a Conditional Use Permit from the Planning Commission. Since staff is proposing to amend the code to ministerially allow eating establishments that hold on-sale ABC license Types 41 or 47, equal application of this provision in the AVSP is also being proposed. This ensures a balanced concentration of such uses throughout the City and gives property owners and business owners more location options.

The City has evaluated the proposed amendments in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act. Staff has determined that both the Zoning Ordinance Amendment and Specific Plan Amendment are exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines § 15061(b)(3) (the "Common Sense Exemption") because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the amendments to the AHMC and the AVSP have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. The amendments do not authorize physical expansions of certain uses, but rather sets objective operational performance standards.

Streamlining the approval process for Type 41 and 47 alcohol licenses and establishing objective operational standards based around existing provisions and knowable factors associated does not pose a significant effect on the environment, particularly because these uses remain subject to staff review and compliance with objective standards. Furthermore, additional parking reduction options optimize existing built environments and commercial spaces without increasing development intensity or creating new trafficgenerating uses that have not already been accounted for in the City's parking allocation table. Additionally, proposed amendments to the AVSP are procedural and limited to identifying the review process for specific types of projects and as such, does not increase density or physical footprint nor does it alter land use designations.

FISCAL IMPACT
The City’s Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget will not be impacted by the proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment or the Specific Plan Amendment as it is being implemented by staff.

RECOMMENDATION
Staff respectfully recommends that the City Council conduct a public hearing to: 1) waive full reading and introduce Ordinance No. 26-488; An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Agoura Hills, California, amending Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code (AHMC) to amend the Commercial Use Table I in Section (§) 9312.2, regulations regarding Special Conditions (§ 9312.3), and Off-street Parking (§9654 et seq.), renumber the Alcoholic Beverage Sales section in Part 13 (Standards for Specific Uses) of Chapter 3 (Commercial Districts), add new ministerial approval standards for alcoholic beverage establishments with a Type 41 or 47 license, create new Experiential Retail standards, and make other minor textual changes for consistency; 2) consider adopting Resolution No. 26-2147; A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Agoura Hills, California approving a Specific Plan Amendment to the Agoura Village Specific Plan (AVSP) to establish a streamlined review and administrative approval process for eligible project types, and align on-sale alcohol beverage establishment use provisions with the municipal code; and 3) make a determination of exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Ordinance and the Specific Plan Amendment.

Attachments
Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment.pdf
Draft Resolution for the Specific Plan Amendment.pdf
Reso 26-1326.pdf
ORDINANCE NO. 26-488

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AGOURA

HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING ARTICLE IX (ZONING) OF THE

AGOURA HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE TO AMEND THE COMMERCIAL
USE TABLE I IN SECTION 9312.2, REGULATIONS REGARDING
SPECIAL CONDITIONS (§ 9312.3) AND OFF-STREET PARKING (§9654 ET SEQ.), RENUMBER THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES SECTION IN PART 13 (STANDARDS FOR SPECIFIC USES) OF CHAPTER 3
(COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS), ADD NEW MINISTERIAL APPROVAL

STANDARDS FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENTS WITH
A TYPE 41 OR 47 LICENSE, CREATE NEW EXPERIENTIAL RETAIL

STANDARDS, AND MAKE OTHER MINOR TEXTUAL CHANGES FOR

CONSISTENCY, AND MAKING A DETERMINATION OF EXEMPTION

UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
(CASE NO. PZ-2026-68-ZOA; APPLICANT: CITY OF AGOURA HILLS) WHEREAS, the City Council and the City’s Economic Development Team are engaged in an ongoing effort to stimulate local business activity and enhance the economic landscape within the City of Agoura Hills; and WHEREAS, the City conducted a community-wide outreach, through which local stakeholders identified the complexity of the current permitting process as a barrier to business retention, expansion, and attraction; and
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department evaluated existing regulations and identified areas for improvement in the Zoning Ordinance that could be streamlined to reduce complexity and foster economic vitality; and WHEREAS, an application was duly filed by the City of Agoura Hills to amend Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code to update regulations, establish clear procedural thresholds and optimize economic development opportunities; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Agoura Hills considered the proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendment at a duly noticed public hearing held on August 6, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., as required by law, and at which the Planning Commission received testimony from City staff and all interested parties regarding the proposed amendments.

Following the close of the public hearing the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 26-1326 recommending the City Council approve the Ordinance; and WHEREAS, the City Council, at a regular meeting, considered the Ordinance on September 9, 2026 at a duly noticed public hearing, as prescribed by law, at which time City staff and interested persons had an opportunity to and did testify either in support or against this matter. Following the public hearing, the City Council considered the entire

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record of information received at the public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AGOURA HILLS, CALIFORNIA HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The facts set forth in the recitals of this Ordinance are true and correct.

Section 2. General Plan. The amendments to the Zoning Ordinance are consistent with the General Plan. Specifically, the amendments advance Goal LU-2 (City of Diverse Uses), Policies LU-2.2 (Retail Services) and LU-2.4 (Visitor-Serving Uses); Goal LU-12 (Diverse Districts and Corridors), Policies LU-12.1 (Diversity of Uses) and LU-12.4 (Visitor Serving Commercial) by modernizing commercial uses and encouraging a diverse business environment where residents and visitors can gather. Additionally, the amendments incentivize property owners to reinvest in their properties thereby promoting Goal LU-13 (Well-Designed and Attractive Districts), Policies LU-13.1 (Enhanced Design Character) and LU-13.4 (Retail Streetscapes). Lastly, the amendments advance Goal ED1, Policy ED-1.1 (Diversified Economic Base) by expanding permissible commercial activities to align with evolving market demands and visitor needs and facilitates the occupancy of underutilized tenant spaces. Furthermore, by reducing administrative barriers, businesses will be able to secure approvals and begin operations more efficiently, thereby expanding local employment opportunities.

Section 3. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9120.17 (R) of Part 3 (Definitions) of Chapter 1 (Introduction) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended and renumbered to read as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline; with all other definitions to remain unchanged:
“L. Retail, Experiential. “Experiential Retail” is a retail store that incorporates an engaging and interactive experience that can include workshops, in-store events, live demonstrations, and other similar customer engagement strategies.

M.L. Retail store. "Retail store" means any store, shop, business, or establishment engaged in the selling of goods, wares or merchandise directly to the ultimate consumer, including but not limited to appliance stores, bookstores, clothing and apparel stores, drugstores, furniture stores, hardware stores, jewelry stores, liquor stores, music stores, paint and wallpaper stores, pet stores, record stores, and toy stores.”
Section 4. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9120.18 (S) of Part 3 (Definitions) of Chapter 1 (Introduction) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is

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hereby amended to read as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline and with all other definitions to remain unchanged:
“N. Shopping center. "Shopping center" means a group of two (2) or more commercial and/or retail establishments developed under a comprehensive or coordinated site plan on a single lot or contiguous lots, subject to a shared set of property covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs), or reciprocal easement agreements (REA), that function as a unified commercial development and shares common off-street parking facilities. means an integrated development of retail and/or service commercial activities on one (1) lot of land sharing common parking facilities and serving a wide spectrum of community shopping needs.” Section 5. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9312.1 (Similar and like uses) of Part 2 (Commercial Use Tables) of Chapter 3 (Commercial Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“A. If: (1) a use is (1) not listed in table I the commercial use table (Table I), (2) a use is not shown as a permitted use in any other zone; or (3) the planning commission has not made an interpretation that said use is similar to another use pursuant to the provisions of change in section 9807, said use shall be prohibited may be permitted by the Community Development Director (or their designee) if they can make all of the following findings in writing:
a. The use is similar in function and comparable in impacts to an existing use already permitted in the commercial use table (Table I). b. The use is consistent with the purpose of the zoning district and goals of the General Plan.
c. The use will not create adverse impacts greater than those associated with similar permitted uses.
d. The use is not detrimental or hazardous to the health and well-being of the occupants of the adjacent uses and the general public.

B. The Director’s decision may be appealed to the Planning Commission in accordance with section 9804.5. The Planning Commission’s subsequent decision may be further appealed to the City Council. The appellant shall pay the filing fee as adopted in the fee schedule for each level of appeal requested.

Section 6. Zoning Code Amendment. Subsections R.10, R.11, R.12, and S.23 of Section 9312.2 (Commercial use table I), of Part 2 (Commercial Use Tables) of Chapter 3 (Commercial Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code are

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hereby amended to read as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline and all other provisions remain unchanged:

USE, SERVICE, OR FACILITY COMMERCIAL BUSINESS
PARK
CS CRS CR CN CS-MU POM BPOR BPM
R.

10. Retail, Experiential N N N N N N N N
1110. Retail store • • • •
1211. Residential care facility of the
elderly
K K
S.

23. Supermarket/food store • • • •

Section 7. Zoning Code Amendment. Subsections N and W of Section 9312.3 (Special Conditions) of Part 2 (Commercial Use Tables) of Chapter 3 (Commercial Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline and all other provisions remain unchanged:
“N. Reserved. Permitted subject to the provisions of section 9396.2.” “W. Such use is permitted with a conditional use permit subject to the required findings as stated in sections 9396.3 9396.1.C and 9673.2.E being made. Offsale alcoholic beverage establishments are prohibited in the FC overlay district, except as provided in section 9542.1. Restaurants or bona fide public eating places, operating exclusively with a Type 41 or 47 license issued by the California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control (ABC), are permitted by-right provided it complies with all standards in Section 9396.1.A.” Section 8. Zoning Code Amendment. Sections 9396.1 (Alcoholic beverage sales), 9396.2 (Conditional uses), and 9396.3 (Findings) of Part 13 (Standards for specific uses) of Chapter 3 (Commercial Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“9396.1 Alcoholic Beverage SalesEstablishments.

In order to protect adjacent neighborhoods from the harmful effects attributable to the sale of alcoholic beverages, to ensure that businesses selling alcoholic beverages are not the source of undue public nuisances in the community, and to minimize the adverse impacts of incompatible uses, the planning commission shall

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review and approve an application for a conditional use permit for an alcoholic beverage sales establishment, except as otherwise provided in this section.

A. Ministerial approval of Alcoholic Beverage Establishments. The Director or their designee is authorized to ministerially review and approve on-sale (on-site) alcohol beverage sales for eligible restaurants or bona fide public eating places seeking to serve beer, wine, or distilled spirits that meet all the following criteria:

1. Applicability. The establishment shall maintain a valid California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) license Type 41 and/or Type 47, operate as a “Bona Fide Public Eating Place” as defined under the California Business and Professions Code, and remain in good standing with ABC. a. Ministerial approval of alcoholic beverage establishments under this section is limited to ABC license Types 41 or 47 only.
b. The alcoholic beverage establishment shall comply with all performance standards set forth in Section 9305.

2. Alcohol Service Area. The alcohol service area is the specified area indoors, outdoors, or a combination thereof, where alcohol is sold, served, or consumed. An application under this section shall include, but is not limited to the following information:
a. In addition to the City’s requirements for site plans and floor plans, the applicant shall submit a dimensioned floor plan and site plan showing:
i. Dimensions and total square footage of the tenant space or building occupied by the establishment and the designated alcohol service areas.
ii. Dimensioned measurements of the distance from all customer entrances of the business to the property line of the nearest existing sensitive use, listed in Section 9396.1.A.1.b.
b. Any existing establishments approved under this section that proposes to expand, alter, or modify its approved alcohol service area shall be required to submit a new application for approval to the City.

3. Alcohol Service Hours. Alcohol shall not be sold or served earlier than 7:00 a.m. and later than 10:00 p.m.

4. Public Convenience and Necessity (PCN). If required by ABC, the Director shall have the authority to make determinations of PCN.

5. Training. All employees serving alcohol shall maintain the proper certifications as required by ABC.

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6. Prohibitions. All alcoholic beverage establishments allowed under this section shall be prohibited from the following, unless a conditional use permit has been approved by the Planning Commission:
a. Operating as a nightclub
b. Age-based entry into the establishment or any space within the establishment that is typically accessed by the public

7. Determinations. The Director’s decision shall be documented in writing and provided to the applicant listed on the application. The Director’s decision may be appealed to the Planning Commission, in accordance with Section 9804.5. The appellant shall pay the filing fee as adopted in the fee schedule.

8. Enforcement/Revocation. If the establishment fails to comply with any standards in this section or any provisions of local, state, or federal law, the Director may revoke the approval in accordance with Section 9679. 9396.2 B. Conditional Use Permits for use Alcoholic Beverage Establishments.

Unless otherwise permitted by this section, Off off-site and on-site alcoholic beverage establishments shall be subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit pursuant to sections 9396.3 and 9673 and the findings listed below. 9396.3 C. Additional Findings for Conditional Use Permits of Alcoholic Beverage Establishments. In addition to the findings required by section 9673.2.E, the planning commission shall make the following findings, based on information submitted by the applicant and/or presented at the public hearing, before granting a conditional use permit:

1. The requested use at the proposed location will not adversely affect the use of a school, park, playground or similar use within a 500-foot radius;

2. The requested use at the proposed location is sufficiently buffered by topographic conditions or public or private improvements from residentially zoned areas within the immediate vicinity so as not to adversely affect said areas;

3. The exterior appearance of the structure will not be inconsistent with the external appearance of commercial structures already constructed or under construction within the immediate neighborhood so as to cause blight or property deterioration, or to substantially diminish or impair property values within the neighborhood;

4. The upkeep and operating characteristics are compatible with and will not adversely affect the livability or appropriate development and use of abutting properties and the surrounding neighborhood;

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5. The sale of alcoholic beverages may be restricted to certain hours of each day of the week as necessary to ensure that activities related to the project are compatible with the quiet enjoyment of the neighborhood;

6. If an off-sale alcoholic beverage establishment, the requested use is not located in the freeway overlay land use district, unless it is a supermarket/food store larger than ten thousand (10,000) square feet of floor area;

7. The requested use will not contribute to an undue concentration of alcoholic beverage establishments in the area;

8. The requested use is not located in what has been determined to be a high-crime area, or where a disproportionate number of police calls occur;

9. If the sale of alcohol is proposed at an establishment that also offers live entertainment, said conditional use permit request shall be reviewed in conjunction with the conditional use permit for live entertainment.” Section 9. Zoning Code Amendment. Sections 9396.2 and 9396.3 of Part 13 (Standards for specific uses) of Chapter 3 (Commercial Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code are hereby amended to read as follows with all text shown in underline:
“9396.2. Experiential Retail.

A. Operational Standards.

1. The use shall comply with all applicable provisions in Section 9305.

2. All experiential retail uses shall occur within an enclosed building.

3. Indoor recorded music or amplified sound is permitted and subject to the City’s noise and vibration regulations provided in Section 9305. Outdoor amplification is not permitted, unless explicitly allowed by a Conditional Use Permit.

4. Patron queues shall be maintained within the tenant space or within the immediate private sidewalk or plaza area directly adjacent to the tenant entrance, provided the property owner has granted authorization. Queues shall not spill over onto public rights-of-way, block ingress/egress to nearby businesses or tenants, obstruct pedestrian walkways, or impede fire lanes.

Temporary stanchions or barriers may be utilized within authorized queuing areas to maintain order, provided a minimum four-foot (4 ft.) clear path of travel is maintained for pedestrian circulation at all times.

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5. A Conditional Use Permit shall be required for all outdoor uses associated with the experiential retail use. If the outdoor use is temporary, a Temporary Use Permit will be required pursuant to Section 9678 et seq. 9396.3. Reserved.”
Section 10. Zoning Code Amendment. Subsection D of Section 9525.6 (Offstreet parking requirements) of Part 3 (AH Affordable Housing Overlay District) of Chapter 5 (Overlay Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“D. Parking allocation for nonresidential uses in a mixed-use development. The minimum number of off-street parking spaces for nonresidential uses in a mixed-use development shall be as indicated in section 9654.6. Mixed-use developments may utilize shared parking, provided they comply with the requirements set forth in Section 9654.2.E.7. Shared parking shall be allowed only as expressly stated for mixed-use developments in sections 9526.1.F and 9526.2.H.”
Section 11. Zoning Code Amendment. Subsection F of Section 9526.1 (AH properties with an underlying zoning district of CS-MU) of Part 3 (AH Affordable Housing Overlay District) of Chapter 5 (Overlay Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“F. Shared Parking. Table 1 shared parking of section 9654.2.K.5 shall apply to all mixed-use developments where shared parking is proposed. Mixed-use developments may utilize shared parking, provided they comply with the requirements set forth in Section 9654.2.E.7. Shared parking may apply to unassigned residential parking spaces and all non-residential parking spaces, but shall not apply to assigned residential parking spaces.” Section 12. Zoning Code Amendment. Subsection H of Section 9526.2 (AH properties with an underlying zoning district of PD in the Agoura Village Specific Plan) of Part 3 (AH Affordable Housing Overlay District) of Chapter 5 (Overlay Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows, with deleted language show in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“H. Shared parking. Mixed-use developments may utilize shared parking, provided they comply with the requirements set forth in Section 9654.2.E.7. Table 1 shared parking of section 9654.2.K.5 shall apply to all

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mixed-use developments where shared parking is proposed. Shared parking may apply to unassigned residential parking spaces and all non-residential parking spaces, but shall not apply to assigned residential parking spaces.” Section 13. Zoning Code Amendment. Subsection B of Section 9542.1 (Prohibited uses) of Part 5 (FC Freeway Corridor Overlay District) of Chapter 5 (Overlay Districts) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows with new language shown in underline:
“B. Off-sale alcoholic beverage establishments. This section shall not apply to the wholesale sale of alcoholic beverages or to the sale of alcoholic beverages which are wrapped or otherwise enclosed in a sealed container and sold as part of a gift package or other goods, only where there is no public display of alcoholic beverages where the sale of such items is incidental to the primary business on the premises, and where the sales of such items do not exceed fifteen (15) percent of the gross sales of the business at said location. This section shall also not apply to supermarket/food stores with a floor area greater than ten thousand (10,000) square feet, and restaurants or bona fide public eating places operating exclusively with an on-sale ABC license type 41 or 47.”
Section 14. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9654.1 (Definitions) of Division 4 (Off-street Parking, Loading, and Landscaping) of Part 2 (Special Regulations) of Chapter 6 (Regulatory Provisions) of Article IX (Zoning) is hereby amended as follows with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“9654.1. Definitions.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9120 et seq. of this article, for the purposes of this division, the following words and phrases are defined as follows:

A. Alternative transportation means the use of modes of transportation other than the single passenger motor vehicle, but not limited to carpools, vanpools, buspools, public transit, walking and bicycling, motorcycles, mopeds, and electric powered vehicles are excluded from this definition.

B. Applicable development means any development project that is determined to meet or exceed the project size threshold criteria contained in section 9654.4 (Transportation demand management).

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C. Buspool means a vehicle carrying sixteen (16) or more passengers commuting on a regular basis to and from work with a fixed route, according to a fixed schedule.

D. Carpool means a vehicle carrying two (2) to six (6) persons commuting together to and from work on a regular basis.

E. Developer means the builder who is responsible for the planning, design and construction of an applicable development project. A developer may be responsible for implementing the provisions of this section as determined by the property owner.

F. Development means the construction or cumulative additions of new building square footage. Existing square footages shall be exempt from these requirements. All calculations shall be based on gross square footage.

G. Employee parking area means the portion of total required parking at a development used by on-site employees. Unless specified in this article, employee parking shall be calculated as follows:

Type of Use Percent of Total Required Parking
Devoted to Employees
Commercial 30
Office/professional 85
Industrial/manufacturing 90
Other 70
H. Parking Capacity or Supply means the total number of physically available designated off-street parking spaces.

I. Parking Demand means the number of parking spaces needed to accommodate vehicles in an area typically based on land use, peak hours, and duration of stay.

J. Parking, Required. “Required parking” means the total number of offstreet parking spaces required for a particular use pursuant to the ratio as listed under the parking allocation table (Section 9654.6).

K. Parking Study means a professionally prepared analysis using current industry standards, including, but not limited to ITE Parking Generation, ULI Shared Parking, observed demand studies, or comparable data, demonstrating actual or projected parking demand.

H. L. Preferential parking means parking spaces designated or assigned, through use of a sign or painted space markings for carpool and vanpool vehicles carrying commute passengers on a regular basis that are

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provided in a location more convenient to a place of employment than parking spaces provided for single occupant vehicles.

I. M. Property owner means the legal owner of a development who serves as the lessor to a tenant. The property owner shall be responsible for complying with the provisions of this section either directly or indirectly or by delegating such responsibility as appropriate to a tenant and/or his (her) their agent.

J. N. Tenant means the lease of facility space at an applicable development project.

K. O. Total area means the area of all floors or levels included within exterior walls of a building or structure. If a building or structure does not have exterior walls, the "total area" of the building or structure shall be the useable floor area of the building or structure, or the usable area under the horizontal projection of the roof.

L. P. Transportation demand management (TDM) means the alteration of travel behavior, usually on the part of the commuters, through programs of incentives, services, and policies. TDM addresses alternatives to single occupant vehicles such as carpooling and vanpooling, and changes in work schedules that move trips out of the peak period or eliminate them altogether (as is the case in telecommuting or compressed workweeks).

M. Q. Trip reduction means reduction in the number of work-related trips made by single occupant vehicles.

N. R. Vanpool means a vehicle carrying seven (7) or more persons commuting together to and from work on a regular basis, usually in a vehicle with a seating arrangement designed to carry seven (7) to fifteen (15) adult passengers., and on a prepaid subscription basis.

O. S. Vehicle means any motorized form of transportation, including but not limited to automobiles, vans, buses and motorcycles. “
Section 15. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9654.2 (General Standards) of Division 4 (Off-street Parking, Loading, and Landscaping) of Part 2 (Special Regulations) of Chapter 6 (Regulatory Provisions) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“9654.2. General standards.

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Accessible off-street parking areas shall be provided and maintained as set forth in this section. Parking access areas shall provide parking and maneuvering room for motor vehicles and for pedestrian safety based on the anticipated occupancy of the related building, structure or area of land or water. Where there is a combination of principal uses in any one (1) facility, the sum of the parking requirements of these uses shall be provided unless otherwise provided. If the calculation of parking requirements results in the requirement for a fraction of a parking space, such parking space need not be provided unless the fraction exceeds fifty (50) percent. This section shall not be construed to prohibit the installation and maintenance of more parking spaces than the minimum required.

A. Seats or seating capacity. Where the standards for parking set forth in this section are based upon seating capacity, the capacity shall be determined by reference to the actual seating capacity of the subject area based upon the number of seats or one (1) seat per eighteen (18) inches of bench or pew length and one (1) seat per twenty-four (24) inches of booth length for dining, but in no case shall seating be less than as required by the Uniform Building Code. For other areas where seats are not fixed, the seating capacity shall be determined in accordance with the Uniform Building Code.

B. Planter or landscaped areas. Where the standards set forth in this section or elsewhere in this Code require the installation of planters or landscaped areas within or adjacent to parking areas, such planters or landscaped areas shall be planted, irrigated and maintained with live landscaping such as lawn, ground cover, trees or shrubs, and surrounded by a six-inch-high curb. The landscaped areas shall not be less than the width specified excluding any perimeter curbing.

Parking in the oak tree drip lines shall be discouraged and regulated by the provisions of section 9657 et seq.

C. Building permit. Plans submitted for a building permit to construct a building which has public parking areas shall include the design of the required parking area drawn to scale. Such plans shall include all parking spaces and maneuvering areas, curb cuts, landscaping and other improvements. The building permit shall not be issued until such parking plans have been approved by the director of planning and community development Director or their his or her designee and no final completion inspection shall be approved until the parking spaces and required landscaping are installed.

D. Change of occupancy use. Whenever the parking demand is increased due to a change of occupancy which does not involve any new construction requiring a building permit, the director of planning and community development or his or her designee shall review the parking requirements of the proposed use if new business license is required for the change of use. In such case no new business

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license shall be issued until the department of planning and community development has approved the parking plan. Two (2) copies of such plan drawn to scale shall be submitted to the director of planning and community development or his or her designee for approval. The plan shall show the entire subject property and shall show the means of ingress and egress, location of the building, parking spaces, landscaping, barrier curbs, irrigation system, lights and any other proposed facilities. The plan shall be approved if it conforms to the intent and provisions of this part. All proposed changes of use requiring more parking than the previous use shall comply with the parking requirements for the new use outlined in the parking allocation table in Section 9654.6, unless a parking reduction is granted, pursuant to subsection E below.

E. Parking reductions. A proponent of a business or industrial project may provide alternative facilities or programs which serve to reduce parking demand or return for a reduction in vehicle parking requirements, subject to the provisions below.

Vehicle parking requirements shall be reduced in accordance with the following provisions: If any tenant or property owner is unable to meet the parking requirements set forth under Section 9654.6, an application for a parking reduction may be filed with the City, and the City may require upon submittal any documentation, evidence, or studies that may be required to determine compliance with this Division. To ensure programs are implemented for the life of the use, parking reduction approvals shall be conditioned to record agreements or covenants, with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office, prior to the issuance of any grading, building, site plan review/architecture permits or conditional use permits, whichever comes last. Unless there is a new development that requires planning commission approval, the Director or their designee may approve a reduction in required parking only in the following circumstances:

1. Preferred carpool/vanpool parking spaces. The parking requirements for developments which guarantee preferred parking spaces (e.g., covered, shaded, or near building entrance) to employees who participate regularly in a carpool or vanpool shall be reduced by one (1) vehicle space for every one (1) space which is marked and reserved for carpools/vanpools at a preferred location provided that the maximum reduction shall not exceed two (2) percent of the required parking. Simple Change of Use. A change of use within an existing commercial building is permitted without providing additional parking, provided all of the following conditions are met:
a. The use is permitted by-right in the zone. If the use requires a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), then the parking reduction request shall

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be processed with the CUP and subject to the approval of the Planning Commission.
b. The new tenant occupies the same leasehold as the previous tenant. c. The commercial space is 5,000 sq. ft. or less and the change of use involves no new floor area.
d. No outdoor dining is proposed.
e. The change of use is between any of the categories listed in the table below and applies to changes within the same tier, moving to a lowerintensity tier, or moving to a higher-intensity tier, provided all other conditions in this subsection are met.

2. Request for special review of parking. Parking reductions exceeding the maximums specified in subparagraph (1) above, or modifications of parking improvement requirements, may be granted by the planning commission, whenever such reduction or modification is considered in connection with a review of site plans by the commission, or is heard in connection with a rezoning, use permit, or variance. Such reduction or modifications shall only be permitted in unusual circumstances. The project proponent shall submit with the request whatever evidence and documentation is necessary to demonstrate that unusual conditions warrant a parking reduction, such as the multiple use of a parking area by uses having peak parking demands which occur at different times; floor plans which indicate that the floor area devoted Tier Required Ratio per
9654.6 Uses
Tier 1 1 space per 200 sq. ft.

Medical, Dental, and Veterinary
Offices; Salons and Spas (hair, nails,
massage, and acupressure).

Tier 2 1 space per 225 sq. ft. Libraries, Galleries, and Museums.

Tier 3 1 space per 250 sq. ft.

General Retail; Game Arcades; Snack
Shops/Take-out (no outdoor dining);
Fitness Clubs and studios; and any
other use requiring a 1:250 parking
ratio as determined by the Director.

Tier 4 1 space per 300 sq. ft. Business and Professional Offices; Banks and Financial Institutions;
Experiential Retail; Psychologists,
Psychiatrists, and specialized patient
programs.

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to customer or employee use is less typical for the building proposed; or that other programs will be implemented by the developer or tenant(s) which will result in a demand for parking at the site which is less than would otherwise occur, such as the provision of monetary incentives to employees who regularly utilize public transit or participate in a carpool or vanpool.

Modification. A proposed change of use or new development may file a modification request if a decrease of not more than 10% of the required parking is being requested, pursuant to the modification provisions of Section 9676.2.

3. Preferred Carpool/Vanpool. Preferred carpool/vanpool parking spaces that are either covered, shaded, and/or near the building entrance is offered to employees who participate regularly in a carpool or vanpool. Required parking shall be reduced by one (1) vehicle space for every one (1) space which is marked and reserved for carpools/vanpools at a preferred location, provided that the maximum reduction shall not exceed 2% of the total required parking.

4. Staggered Peak Demands. For commercial or residential mixed-use developments or adjacent properties utilizing a shared or reciprocal parking arrangement, a reduction may be granted where uses or tenants have staggered peak parking demands. The applicant must submit a parking study, based on the latest ITE Trip and Parking Generation Manual, by a licensed traffic engineer, demonstrating that the combined peak demand of all uses in the shopping center or commercial site will not exceed the provided parking capacity at any time. If a projected deficit is identified, the analysis shall detail mitigation measures that sufficiently offset the deficit to the satisfaction of the City. Any arrangement involving adjacent properties requires written authorization from all affected owners and a recorded reciprocal covenant and agreement with the Los Angeles County recorder’s office.

5. Smart Parking Systems. A property owner or tenant who implements a smart parking system, which utilizes sensors, cameras, or real-time data to assist drivers in locating parking and reducing congestion, may request a reduction in required parking. No more than 5% of the cumulative parking required for the shopping center may be reduced through the implementation of smart parking systems.

6. Parking Lot Beautification. Parking lot beautification projects within existing shopping centers or commercial properties that increase parking lot tree canopy coverage by at least 10% of the floor area of the parking lot, shall be eligible for a 10% cumulative parking reduction.

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7. Shared Parking. A shared parking reduction shall be allowed for shopping centers based on the following:

TABLE I: SHARED PARKING
Combination of Land Uses Shared Parking Reduction Allowed Office + Retail
or
Office + Restaurant
15% of combined parking requirement or
20% of highest individual tenant use
parking requirement,
whichever results in the highest number
of parking spaces required
Retail + Restaurant 18% of combined parking requirement or 24% of highest individual tenant use
parking requirement,
whichever results in the highest number
of parking spaces required
Office + Retail + Restaurant 20% of combined parking requirement or 25% of highest individual tenant use
parking requirement,
whichever results in the highest number
of parking spaces required

Note: Shared parking reduction values for other uses not identified above may be allowed based on city-accepted methodology for shared parking analysis completed by the applicant using a qualified traffic or parking consultant, and ultimately approved by the director.

Note: For residential mixed-use development, residential parking shall be provided per section 9654.6 or 9525.6, whichever applies, in addition to the parking requirement for other proposed nonresidential uses. To be considered for shared parking reduction for nonresidential parking spaces, a shared parking analysis shall be completed by the applicant based upon a city accepted methodology, using a qualified traffic or parking consultant, and ultimately approved by the director.

Source: Based upon ULI Shared Parking 2nd Edition, ITE Parking 3rd Edition The recordation of agreements or covenants, prior to issuance of a building permit, which ensures that appropriate programs are implemented for the life of the use shall be required as a condition of approval of the parking reduction.

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8. Director Denial. The Director shall deny any parking reduction request if the proposed use, due to site-specific conditions or documented history, is likely to result in traffic congestion, unsafe circulation, or a chronic parking shortage that cannot be remedied through proposed mitigation. A denial may be based on evidence of any of the following circumstances:
a. Projected peak parking demand exceeds the total parking supply or capacity, and the required parking.
b. The length of the driveway is insufficient to accommodate vehicular queuing and would result in an overflow of vehicles onto adjacent public rights-of-way.

9. Appeals. The Director’s decision to deny a parking reduction request may be appealed to the Planning Commission in accordance with Section 9804.5.

F. Existing facilities. Any building or use for which parking facilities become substandard by the adoption of this part shall be considered a nonconforming use.

Such nonconforming use may continue, but no enlargement or expansion shall be made in such use or building, unless the required number of parking spaces or parking areas imposed by this part are provided parking is provided or a reduction is granted in compliance with this Division. Any change of occupancy or use in an existing building or lot which requires more parking space shall provide the additional parking areas required by this section.

G. Parking of nonregistered vehicles. Automotive vehicles or trailers of any kind or type without current registration shall not be parked or stored in the front yard or side street yard of any lot.

H. Change of parking requirements. The amendment of the parking requirements set forth in this section shall not render a use previously approved in accordance with the provisions of this section nonconforming.

I. Tandem parking. Except where specifically permitted by this section, parking spaces shall not be in tandem. All parking spaces shall be free of obstructions, and parking shall be accomplished in a continuous forward movement. Tandem parking shall mean one (1) parking space located behind another parking space which has no direct access to the driveway or street.

J. Provisions for residential uses.

1. Parking locations. Off-street parking spaces for single-family detached dwellings shall be located on the same lot or parcel on which the dwelling is located. Off-street parking spaces for all other dwellings shall be located on

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the same development site and on the same lot or parcel or not more than two hundred (200) feet from the lot or parcel on which the dwelling is located.

2. Senior citizen parking. The planning commission may reduce the total number of parking spaces required for senior citizen housing by up to twenty-five (25) percent, based upon a finding that the proposed development is located within five hundred (500) feet of a shopping center or is served adequately by a transportation system. The number of spaces which are required to be covered may be reduced by up to fifty (50) percent, based upon evidence submitted by the developer that the reduction is directly related toward providing dwelling units to meet the needs of low and moderate income senior citizen households as defined and provided for in the housing element of the General Plan. In no instance shall the number of covered parking spaces be fewer than one (1) per four (4) dwelling units.

3. Commercial vehicles in residential zones. No vehicle which is registered for commercial purposes pursuant to applicable provisions of the Vehicle Code, which exceeds five thousand five hundred (5,500) pounds in unladen gross weight, shall be parked or such vehicles left standing on any residentially zoned property in excess of thirty (30) consecutive minutes, unless the actual loading or unloading of such vehicle is in progress on such property, or is fully screened from view from any public street. Violation of this section is an infraction and shall be punishable as provided in section 1200(b) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code.

4. Assigned spaces. One (1) of the required parking spaces for each multifamily dwelling unit shall be an assigned parking space, not more than two hundred (200) feet away from the unit to be served.

5. Residential Mixed-Use Development. Residential parking shall be provided per Section 9654.6 or 9525.6, whichever applies, in addition to the parking requirement for other proposed nonresidential uses. Unless explicitly specified in this Article, only nonresidential parking spaces may qualify for a parking reduction under Section 9654.2.E (Parking Reductions).

K. Provisions for commercial uses.

1. Parking locations. In commercial zones off-street parking shall be located on the same lot as, or on a lot contiguous to, the building, structure, or use to be served.

2. Spaces not for repair, servicing or storage. Required parking spaces shall not be used, or be permitted to be used, for the repair, servicing, staging for sale, or storage of vehicles or for the storage of materials.

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3. Racks not counted as parking spaces. For auto repair shops or other similar uses, the racks and pump blocks shall not be considered in calculating the required parking spaces.

4. Uses not specified. Commercial parking requirements for uses not specified in this part shall be based upon a standard of one (1) space per two hundred fifty (250) square feet of gross floor area, unless the Director director of planning and community development or planning commission approve a different parking requirement, based on the most comparable uses specified in this part.

5. Shared parking. For the purposes of this section, "shopping center" shall mean a group of architecturally unified commercial and retail establishments built on a site which is planned, developed, and managed as an operating unit.

For shopping centers containing at least 25,000 and up to 50,000 square feet of total building area, where office spaces exceed ten (10) percent of the total gross floor area, that portion in excess of ten (10) percent of the gross floor area shall be calculated at one (1) parking space per three hundred (300) square feet.

Where cinema spaces exceed ten (10) percent of the total gross floor area, that portion in excess of ten (10) percent of the gross floor area shall be calculated at one (1) parking space per one hundred (100) square feet.

Where restaurant, café, or other food and beverage service uses exceed ten (10) percent of the total gross floor area, that portion in excess of ten (10) percent of the total gross floor area shall be calculated at one (1) parking space per one hundred (100) square feet.

For shopping centers containing 50,000 square feet or more of total building area, a shared parking reduction shall be allowed for the shopping centers based on the following:

TABLE I: SHARED PARKING
Combination of Land Uses Shared Parking Reduction Allowed* Office + Retail
or
Office + Restaurant
15% of combined parking requirement or
20% of highest individual tenant use
parking requirement,
whichever results in the highest number
of parking spaces required
Retail + Restaurant 18% of combined parking requirement or 24% of highest individual tenant use

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parking requirement,
whichever results in the highest number
of parking spaces required
Office + Retail + Restaurant 20% of combined parking requirement or 25% of highest individual tenant use
parking requirement,
whichever results in the highest number
of parking spaces required

Note: Shared parking reduction values for other uses not identified above may be allowed based on city-accepted methodology for shared parking analysis completed by the applicant using a qualified traffic or parking consultant, and ultimately approved by the director.

Note: For residential mixed-use development, residential parking shall be provided per section 9654.6 in addition to the parking requirement for other proposed nonresidential uses. To be considered for shared parking reduction for nonresidential parking spaces, a shared parking analysis shall be completed by the applicant based upon a city accepted methodology, using a qualified traffic or parking consultant, and ultimately approved by the director.

Source: Based upon ULI Shared Parking 2nd Edition, ITE Parking 3rd Edition L. Provisions for industrial uses.

1. Parking locations. For industrial uses, all parking shall be on the same site.

Off-site parking may be permitted by a conditional use permit if the applicant can demonstrate the need therefor and a covenant running with the off-site parking lot is executed and recorded to ensure that the required parking will be provided for the life of the use. The off-site parking may be located up to five hundred (500) feet from the lot to be served, but no more than fifty (50) percent of the required off-street parking spaces may be located off the site.

2. Spaces not for repair, servicing or storage. Required parking spaces shall not be used or be permitted to be used for the repair, servicing, or storage of vehicles or for the storage of materials.

3. Racks not counted as parking spaces. For auto repair shops or other similar uses, the racks and pump blocks shall not be considered in calculating the required parking spaces.”

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Section 16. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9654.3 (Design Standards) of Division 4 (Off-street Parking, Loading, and Landscaping) of Part 2 (Special Regulations) of Chapter 6 (Regulatory Provisions) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“9654.3. Design Standards.

A. Standard Parking stall sizes. Each standard off-street parking space shall be at least the following minimum sizes and shall be clearly pinstriped:

TABLE 1. STANDARD PARKING MEASUREMENTS
Angle (in degrees) Curb Length Per Car Stall Depth
0 24′ 0″ 8′ 6″
30 16′ 6″ 16′ 0″
45 11′ 6″ 19′ 0″
60 10′ 0″ 20′ 0″
90 8′ 6″ 18′ 0″
FIGURE 1. STANDARD PARKING STALLS
B. Compact parking stalls. Unless approved by the planning commission, compact off-street parking spaces are not permitted. If allowed, all compact off-street parking spaces shall be subject to the following minimum sizes and only under the following circumstances:

TABLE 2. COMPACT PARKING MEASUREMENTS

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1. No more than thirty (30) percent of the required number of parking spaces to be sized for compact vehicles, in instances where on-site design constraints, such as irregular topography, lot configurations, or parcel size necessitate the use of compact parking spaces, or

2. If additional landscaping is to be provided beyond the provisions of Section 9654.5 et seq., no more than thirty (30) percent of the required number of parking spaces may be sized for compact vehicles. The additional landscaping shall be at least fifty (50) percent of the total surface area saved by using compact spaces instead of standard spaces. Additional landscaping approved under this section is exclusive from any other landscape requirements.

3. All compact off-street parking spaces approved by the planning commission shall be clearly marked "Compact Cars Only." Compact spaces shall not be permitted for automotive repair facilities.

FIGURE 2. COMPACT PARKING STALLS
C. Accessible Parking. Off-street parking spaces for persons with disabilities shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Building Code (Title 24).

Angle (in degrees) Curb Length Per Car Stall Depth
0 21′ 0″ 8′ 6″
30 16′ 6″ 14′ 0″
45 11′ 6″ 15′ 6″
60 10′ 6″ 16′ 6″
90 8′ 6″ 15′ 0″

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D. Covered parking spaces. Covered off-street parking spaces provided for commercial and industrial uses shall follow the minimum size standards as outlined in subsection A. Covered off-street parking spaces provided for residential uses shall be at least ten (10) feet by twenty (20) feet inside clear space.

E. Access and circulation. Each entrance and exit to a parking area shall be constructed and maintained so that any vehicle entering or leaving the parking area shall be clearly visible at a distance of not less than ten (10) feet to a person approaching such entrance or exit on any pedestrian walk or footpath shall be visible to each other. Speed bumps shall be considered for parking areas over one hundred (100) parking spaces.

All exits from parking lots shall be clearly posted with stop signs, and stop bars, and appropriate directional signs shall be maintained when necessary and as required by the Director.

1. Residential access. Driveway access to parking spaces for a single-family dwelling unit shall not be less than fifteen (15) feet in width. Driveway access used to serve more than two (2) dwelling units shall not be less than twenty (20) feet in width. Driveway access to all uses other than residential shall have a width of not less than fourteen (14) feet if one-way, or not less than twenty-six (26) feet for a two-way, combined entrance and exit, access.

2. Commercial access. Additional limited time parking shall be provided in conjunction with the placement of automatic tellers and similar structures or facilities.

F. Paving. All areas used for parking and accesses to such parking areas shall be completely paved with asphalt or concrete surfacing, or such other alternative materials as approved by the city engineer. Further, all parking areas and accesses shall be provided with adequate drainage as approved by the city engineer. Any portion of the parking area not paved shall be landscaped.

G. Aisle width. Minimum aisle widths shall be as follows:

TABLE 3. AISLE WIDTHS
Angle (in degrees) Aisle Width
30* 14' 0"
45* 14' 0"
60* 20' 0"
90 26' 0"
*Denotes one-way aisles only.

All two-way traffic shall be a minimum of 26 feet.

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H. Wall. A parking area which abuts a residentially zoned parcel or lot shall be separated therefrom by a six-foot-high solid masonry wall. Such wall shall be reduced to three (3) feet in height within the front yard area of an abutting residential zone. Along the freeway a combination of a mounded, enlarged landscaped area and a three and one-half (3½) foot wall shall be provided.

A parking area which is separated by a street from a parcel or lot in a residential zone or a freeway shall have a solid masonry wall or mounded landscaping averaging three and one-half (3½) feet in height along such street.

I. Parking structure standards. Parking structures, underground parking, subterranean parking, and similar parking facilities shall be permitted only upon planning commission approval. Underground and subterranean parking is encouraged to increase landscaping and minimize hillside grading.

All parking spaces within such facilities shall be restricted for the exclusive use of property owners, tenants, employees, and other users of the building which such facilities serve. Such restrictions shall be implemented through the installation of appropriate signing and circulation and controlled access devices.

Appropriate security measures shall be incorporated into the design of such facilities including but not limited to security gates, fencing, and lighting.

J. Parking lot illumination. Parking lot illumination shall be directed away from residential areas and public streets so as not to produce a glare as seen from such areas in order to ensure the general safety of other vehicular traffic and the privacy and well being of the residential areas.

All light poles, standards, and fixtures shall be a maximum of sixteen (16) feet in height.

K. Parking lot slope. Parking lots shall not have a slope exceeding four and one-half (4.5) percent, except for access ramps or driveways which shall not exceed a slope of ten (10) percent.

L. Wheel stop standards. Wheel stops shall be installed two (2) feet from the edges of the required sidewalks, planters, and landscaped areas for all parking spaces in order to protect the required sidewalks, planters and landscaped areas from vehicular overhang and to protect any structure from vehicular damage. The regular planter curb may function as the wheel stop but the planter shall be a minimum of six (6) feet in width. All wheel stops shall be maintained in good condition.

M. Bicycle parking standard. A stationary bicycle rack or facility designed to secure the frame and both wheels of the bicycle, where the bicyclist supplies only a locking device, shall be provided at the ratio of one (1) bicycle space for every

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twenty-five (25) parking spaces. A fully enclosed bicycle space or locker which is accessible only to the owner or operator of the bicycle and protects the bicycle from inclement weather may be provided, but not in-lieu of the required bicycle rack(s). Specific facilities and location (i.e. provision of racks, lockers, or locked room) shall subject to approval by the City.

N. Off-street loading and unloading spaces. General office uses shall have the following off-street loading and unloading spaces:

TABLE 4. GENERAL OFFICE – LOADING SPACES
Square feet Spaces required
Under 30,000 0
30,001 to 50,000 1
Excess of 50,000 2
Retail/commercial and industrial/manufacturing uses shall have the following offstreet loading and unloading spaces:

TABLE 5. RETAIL/COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL/MANUFACTURING –

LOADING SPACES
Square feet Spaces required
Under 5,000 0
5,000 to 30,000 1
Excess of 30,000 2
Each loading space for general office uses and for retail/commercial uses less than thirty thousand (30,000) square feet shall be located off the street and shall be twelve (12) feet in width by twenty-five (25) feet in width by twenty-five (25) feet in depth by fourteen (14) feet in vertical clearance. All other loading spaces, regardless of use, shall be twelve (12) feet in width by fifty (50) feet in depth by fourteen (14) feet in height.”
Section 17. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9654.4 (Transportation demand management) of Division 4 (Off-street Parking, Loading, and Landscaping) of Part 2 (Special Regulations) of Chapter 6 (Regulatory Provisions) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“9654.4. Transportation demand management.

A. Transportation demand and trip reduction measures.

1. Applicability of requirements. Prior to approval of any development project, the applicant shall make provision for, as a minimum, all of the following applicable transportation demand management and trip reduction measures.

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All facilities and improvements constructed or otherwise required shall be maintained in a state of good repair.

2. Development standards.
a. Nonresidential development of twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet or more shall provide, to the satisfaction of the city, a bulletin board, display case, or kiosk displaying transportation information located where the greatest number of employees are likely to see it.

Information in the area shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Current maps, routes and schedules for public transit serving the site;

2. Telephone numbers for referrals on transportation information including numbers for the regional ridesharing agency and local transit operators;

3. Ridesharing promotional material supplied by commuter-oriented organizations;

4. Bicycle route and facility information, including regional/local bicycle maps and bicycle safety information;

5. A listing of facilities available for carpoolers, vanpoolers, bicyclists, transit riders and pedestrians at the site. b. Nonresidential development of fifty thousand (50,000) square feet or more shall comply with general parking design standards in Section 9654.3 section 9654.3.A.2.a. above and shall provide all of the following measures to the satisfaction of the city:

1. Not less than fifteen (15) percent of employee parking area, shall be located as close as is practical to the employee entrance(s), and shall be reserved for use by potential carpool/vanpool vehicles, without displacing handicapped accessible parking spaces and customer parking needs. This preferential
carpool/vanpool parking area shall be identified on the site plan upon application for a building permit, to the satisfaction of the city. A statement that preferential carpool/vanpool spaces for employees are available and a description of the method for obtaining such spaces must be included on the required
transportation information board. Spaces will be signed/marked as demand warrants.

2. Preferential parking spaces reserved for vanpools must be accessible to vanpool vehicles. When located within a parking

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structure, a minimum vertical interior clearance of seven (7) feet, two (2) inches shall be provided for those spaces and
accessways to be used by such vehicles. Adequate turning radii and parking space dimensions shall also be included in vanpool parking areas.
c. Nonresidential development of one hundred thousand (100,000) square feet or more shall comply with general parking design standards in Section 9654.3, sections 9654.3.A.2.a. and 9654.3.A.2.b. above, and shall provide all of the following measures to the satisfaction of the city:

1. A safe and convenient zone in which vanpool and carpool vehicles may deliver or board their passengers.

2. Sidewalk or other designated pathways following direct and safe routes from the external pedestrian circulation system to each building in development.

3. If determined necessary by the city to mitigate the project impact, bus stop improvements must be provided. The city will consult with any public agency which provides or is authorized by law to provide transit services to the general public in the project area for the purpose of determining whether or not such plans or permits shall include provisions for transit waiting shelter(s). The building inspector shall not issue any building permits or approve any improvement plans for any applicable project unless (s)he has received one of the following from the transit agency; (a) Written certification that adequate provisions have been made for the construction and/or placement of a transit waiting shelter at the public right-of-way adjacent to the project, including the granting of any easement necessary to accommodate the shelter, or
(b) Written notification that no transit waiting shelter is needed adjacent to the project.

This section shall not be interpreted to require the construction or placement of transit waiting shelters at a distance of more than one hundred (100) feet from the perimeter of the project site.

When locating bus stops and/or planning building entrances, entrances must be designed to provide safe and efficient access to nearby transit stations/stops.

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4. Safe and convenient access from the external circulation system to bicycle parking facilities onsite.

B. Monitoring. All facilities and improvements required to be constructed pursuant to Ordinance No. 226U shall be shown on building plans for the development.

The building owner shall submit annual reports to the Director director of planning and community development which indicate the participation rate of the tenant(s) and the implementation procedures used in the transportation demand management program. The first report shall be submitted one (1) year after a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the department of building and safety, and annually thereafter.

C. Enforcement. A violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in chapter 2, article I of this Code, and/or any other remedy provided by the law.”
Section 18. Zoning Code Amend. Section 9654.5 (Parking lot landscaping) of Division 4 (Off-street Parking, Loading, and Landscaping) of Part 2 (Special Regulations) of Chapter 6 (Regulatory Provisions) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety as follows:
“9654.5. Parking lot landscaping.

A. Purpose. The intent and purpose of this section is to provide an enhanced pedestrian experience and exterior visual interest of non-residential properties regulating size, placement, and design of landscaping and other amenities accessible to the public. Together, landscaping and other outdoor amenities are intended to enhance the visual environment, promote public safety, moderate the temperature, and reduce noise and glare.

B. Area requirements. Fifteen (15) percent of the total parking area, including the driveway areas, shall be landscaped. Such landscaped areas shall be distributed throughout the entire parking area, as evenly as possible, in a manner approved by the Director.

In addition, except for approved access ways, a twenty-foot-wide fully landscaped planter shall be provided along the full property lines adjacent to any public or private street or highway whenever the parking area abuts a public or private street. The planning commission may allow for up to ten (10) feet of parking space encroachment within this landscape planter where it can be adequately demonstrated that the encroachment is necessitated due to on-site design constraints such as irregular lot configurations or parcel size, or would result in an improved site design. No more than fifty (50) percent of the length of the required twenty-foot-wide fully landscaped planter located along the full property lines adjacent to a public or private street or highway may be

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encroached upon. Any reduction in the landscape area due to parking encroachment shall be substituted for an equal amount of landscaping elsewhere on the property.

A ten-foot-wide fully landscaped planter shall be provided along the property lines adjacent to properties zoned residential, whenever the parking area abuts such properties.

C. Special landscape design standards.

1. Parking lot landscaping shall include shade trees, from an approved list, placed so as to cover fifty (50) percent of the total parking area with tree canopies within fifteen (15) years after the issuance of the building permit for the related building, structure or other improvement. This provision applies to all new commercial and mixed-use developments, and any existing developments that include parking lot remodels, unless explicitly stated in this Article.

2. Canopy reduction option for commercial developments. a. The fifty (50) percent tree canopy coverage requirement of subsection 9654.5.C.1, above, may be reduced by no more than twenty (20) percent, provided that the parking area, including driveways, are enhanced with pedestrian amenities with an equivalent square footage to the square footage reduction in tree canopy coverage as listed below.

This request shall be reviewed concurrently and in the same manner as the required development permit for a project.

1. Amenity Credits. The tree canopy requirement may be offset by the following pedestrian amenities subject to the maximum twenty (20) percent reduction limitation set forth in paragraph a, above:
a) Full Credit (1:1): One (1) square-foot of canopy reduction is permitted for every one (1) square foot of shade structure provided, including, but not limited to carports, trellises and arbors.
b) Partial Credit (0.5:1): One (1) square-foot of canopy reduction is permitted for every (2) square feet of
decorative paving, within designated walkways or parking area, raised planter seating, permanent benches, water
features, public art, or other similar pedestrian
improvements approved by the City.

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2. Parking lot plan review: An application for a site plan review application shall be filed with the Community Development Department along with a parking lot plan. The parking lot plan shall show the existing and proposed landscaping with the proposed pedestrian amenities and any other pertinent
information deemed applicable to render a decision.

3. In the event that an applicant's development cannot meet the requirements of subsections 9654.5.C.1 and 9654.5.C.2, above, such applicant may request the option of paying an in-lieu fee, in an amount established by resolution of the city council. Only those properties that cannot meet the requirements of subsections 9654.5.C.1 and 9654.5.C.2 are eligible for the option of the payment of said in-lieu fee only if all of the following findings can be made by the planning commission.
a. Because of special circumstances applicable to the subject property, including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings, the strict application of subsections 9654.5.C.1 and 9654.5.C.2, above, deprives such property of privileges enjoyed by other property in the vicinity and other retail developments.
b. The granting of the in-lieu fee payment request will not constitute a grant of special privileges inconsistent with the limitations upon other properties in the vicinity and other retail developments. c. The strict interpretation and enforcement of subsections 9654.5.C.1 and 9654.5.C.2, above, of the zoning ordinance would result in practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship inconsistent with the objectives of this article; and
d. The granting of the in-lieu fee payment request will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or materially injurious to the subject property or adjacent properties.”
Section 19. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9654.6 (Parking Allocation) of Division 4 (Off-street Parking, Loading, and Landscaping) of Part 2 (Special Regulations) of Chapter 6 (Regulatory Provisions) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended in its entirety as follows with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline::
“9654.6. Parking allocation.

A. Purpose. The intent and purpose of this section is to provide properly designed off-street parking areas adequate in capacity, location and design to prevent traffic congestion.

Page 31 of 39 ends

The allocation of off-street parking is intended to provide a sufficient number of off-street parking spaces that are in proportion to the need created by the particular land use. In the event a permitted use does not fall under any specific parking requirement, the Director shall make a determination by applying the ratio of the most functionally similar use listed in the following table in Subsection B.

B. Parking spaces required. The number of off-street parking spaces shall be no less than the following:

USE PARKING SPACES REQUIRED
Residential
Single-family dwellings 2 covered parking spaces. Said spaces shall be provided within a garage
Apartments:

Studio or bachelor 1 covered, plus 0.5 uncovered parking spaces per each unit
One (1) bedroom 1.5 covered, plus 1.0 uncovered parking spaces per each unit
Two (2) bedrooms or more 2 covered, plus 0.50 uncovered parking spaces per unit
Condominiums or townhouses 2 covered, plus 0.50 uncovered parking spaces per unit. Recreational vehicle
parking may be required at a location
and of a design approved by the
planning commission.
(All uncovered parking spaces shall be used for "guest parking" and marked as such).

Accessory dwelling units Unless otherwise exempted by section 9283.5(7)(a), one (1) off-street parking
space shall be provided for an ADU, in
addition to the parking required for the
primary residence. The required parking
space for the ADU may be provided as
tandem parking on an existing driveway.

No parking spaces are required for a
JADU.

Commercial
Office

Page 32 of 39 ends

Business and professional 1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor area.

Permanent common lobbies within each
building totaling 35,000 square feet or
larger are excluded from gross floor
area.

Banks and financial
institutions
1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor
area.

Psychologists, psychiatrists,
counselors, chiropractors,
acupuncturists, physical
therapy and other similar uses
with individualized patient
programs.
1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor
area.

Medical, dental, and
veterinarian
1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor
area
*Restaurants, including
drinking establishments, sit
down and fast food

9.6 for each 1,000 square feet of
existing gross floor area.

Snack shops (e.g., ice cream,
coffee and juice) and take-out
1 for each 250 square feet of gross floor
area
Live entertainment Participatory or non-passive live
entertainment - the director may require
a parking study for live entertainment
that is participatory or nonpassive which
may consist of any of the following:
nightclub; dance floor, including dancing
to recorded music; live theater events;
separate charge required for admission
to live entertainment.

Passive live entertainment - Passive live
entertainment, such as ambiance music
ancillary to dining, if determined by the
director to not generate additional
parking demand, shall not be subject to
a parking study, but shall provide
parking at the restaurant ratio.

Automotive

Page 33 of 39 ends

Full-service service station (fuel
dispensing and/or repairs)
3, plus 2 for each service bay. A
minimum of 10 parking spaces shall be
required
Repair facilities 1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area
Self-service service station
(fuel dispensing only)
1 for each employee on the largest shift
Dealerships and other open-air
sales
1 for each 1,000 square feet of outdoor
sales and display area, plus 1 for each
5,000 square feet over 10,000 square
feet
Self-service or coin-operated
operating washing and
cleaning establishments
2 for each washing area or unit
Washing and cleaning
establishments
1 for each employee and 2 for each
detailing bay or area
General retail stores, except as
otherwise specified herein
1 for each 250 square feet of gross floor
area
Kennels 1 for each 500 square feet of gross floor
area
Game arcades 1 for each 250 square feet of gross floor
area
Mortuaries and funeral homes 1 for each 20 square feet of floor area, or assembly area, plus 1 for each
vehicle owned by such establishment
Furniture, appliance and carpet
stores
1 for each 750 square feet of gross floor
area
Recreation
Batting cage facility, primary
use
1 for each batting cage, pitching cage or
practice cage; plus 1 for each 1,000
square feet of practice and instruction
field area; plus 1 per 250 square feet of
gross floor area for retail sales; plus 15
for each 1,000 square feet of seating
and waiting area floor area for eating
and drinking uses (a minimum of 10
parking spaces shall be required); plus 1
for each 300 square feet of floor area for
office uses

Page 34 of 39 ends

Bowling lanes 3 for each bowling lane, plus the spaces
required for each additional use on the
site
Billiard parlors and poolrooms 3 for each billiard or pool table Tennis facility 3 for each court, plus the spaces
required for each additional use on the
site
Public swimming pools,
gymnasiums and skating rinks
1 for each 100 square feet of gross floor
area, plus the spaces required for each
additional use on the site
Miniature golf courses and
driving ranges
1 for each hole or driving tee
Fitness clubs and
dance/exercise studios
1 space for each 250 square feet of
gross floor area up to 5,000 square feet;
greater than 5,000 gross square feet:
1/220 of activity area + other space
according to the use
Boarding and riding stables 1 parking space for each stall retained for rental purposes on the site, plus 1 for
each employee
Theaters 1 for each 3 fixed seats or for every 35
square feet of non-fixed seats
Hotels and motels 1 for each unit, plus the spaces required for each additional use on the site
Salons and spas (hair styling,
nails, massage, and
acupressure)
1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor
area, but no less than 4 spaces
Laundromats and dry-cleaning
facilities
1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor
area
Shopping centers Except as otherwise specified, 4 for
every 1,000 square feet of gross floor
area
Supermarkets and drugstores 1 for each 200 square feet of gross floor area
Plant nurseries or similar
outdoor sales and display
areas
5, plus 1 additional for each 500 square
feet of outdoor sales, display or service
areas
Recycling centers 1 for each 500 square feet of gross floor area

Page 35 of 39 ends

Any commercial use listed, as
permitted in the CS, CRS, CSMU, CR and CN zones, except as specifically provided
1 for each 250 square feet of gross floor
area
Institutional
Hospitals 2 for each bed
Convalescent hospitals,
children's homes, nursing
homes, and homes for the
aged
1 for each 5 beds
Churches 1 for each 3 seats (18 linear inches shall
be considered a seat), or 1 for each 28
square feet where no permanent seats
are maintained
Libraries, galleries, and
museums
1 for each 225 square feet of gross floor
area
Schools
Elementary and junior
high/middle school
1 for each classroom, and 1 for each 5
seats or for each 35 square feet of area
in the auditorium
High school 6 for each classroom and 1 for each 5
seats or for each 35 square feet of area
in the auditorium
Colleges and universities 7 for each classroom and 1 for each 5 seats or for each 35 square feet of area
in the auditorium, plus the required
spaces required for each additional use
on the site
Day nurseries and preschools 1 for each 5 children
Trade schools 1 for each employee on the largest shift, plus 1 for each student during maximum
enrollment
Industrial
Research and development
facilities
1 for each 300 square feet of gross floor
area
Light industrial 1 for each 500 square feet of gross floor area

Page 36 of 39 ends

Automated or semi-automatic
public or quasi-public utilities
1 for every employee on the largest
shift, plus 1 for each 250 square feet of
gross floor area for incidental office use
Warehouse, exclusive of any
assembly, manufacturing or
sales activity
1 for every 1,000 square feet of gross
floor area for the first 5,000 square feet
of gross floor area, then 1 for every
5,000 square feet of additional gross
floor area, plus 1 for each 250 square
feet of gross floor area for incidental
office use
*Based on the average parking rate for fast casual, quality, high turnover-sit down, and fast-food with drive-through categories within the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Parking Generation Manual 5th edition.” Section 20. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9679 (Revocation of permits and other approvals) of Division 9 (Revocation Provisions) of Part 3 (Special Permit or Review) of Chapter 6 (Regulatory Provisions) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code is hereby amended as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout:
“9679. Revocation of permits and other approvals.

A conditional use permit, variance, site plan approval, temporary use permit or other discretionary permit or approval granted or issued under this article, may be revoked in accordance with the following procedure:

A. Initiation. Revocation proceedings may be initiated by the city council, planning commission or director.

B. Commission hearing and notice. The planning commission shall conduct a hearing on any proposed revocation with notice given in the same manner as for the granting of a permit, except that notice to the owner of the subject property shall be given notice by personal service or by registered or certified mail.

C. Commission decision. After the hearing, the commission may, by resolution, revoke the permit or approval if any of the following are found:

1. Approval was obtained by fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.

2. The property is or has in the recent past been used or developed in violation of the conditions of approval or of other laws or regulations.

3. The property is or has in the recent past been used or developed in a manner materially detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or constitutes public nuisance.

Page 37 of 39 ends

D. Effective date and appeal. Such revocation shall become effective fifteen (15) days after the date of final action by the commission unless an appeal to the city council is filed within such period of time.” Section 21. Zoning Code Amendment. Section 9807 (Rules of interpretation established) and 9807.1 (Minimum requirements) of Division 7 (Rules of interpretation) of Part 1 (In General) of Chapter 8 (Administration) of Article IX (Zoning) of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code are hereby amended as follows, with deleted language shown in strikeout and new language shown in underline:
“9807. Rules of interpretation established.

A. The planning commission shall decide any questions involving the interpretation or application of any provision of this article, pursuant to the rules, standards and requirements of these sections.

B. The Community Development Director (or designee) may make administrative determinations regarding whether a proposed use is permitted when a use is not expressly listed, provided that the Director’s decision is consistent with the intent of this Article and may be appealed to the Planning Commission, pursuant to section 9312.1.
9807.1. Minimum requirements.

Only the uses, buildings, or structures expressly listed in this Article are permitted. All others are excluded unless: (a) a specific district states otherwise; (b) the Community Development Director or their designee, where permitted by the code, provides written authorization for the use, or (c) the planning commission has provided an interpretation allowing the use.. Unless clearly shown to the contrary in a particular district, the listing of uses, buildings, or structures which are expressly permitted implies the exclusion of all other uses, buildings, or structures.

The regulations and development standards set forth in this article are the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public safety, health, convenience, comfort, and general welfare, and the. The planning commission and the Community Development Director shall be bound by any such standards in interpreting and applying the provisions of this article. It is not intended by this article to interfere with or abrogate or annual any easements, covenants, or other agreement between parties; provided, however, that where this article imposes a greater restriction or higher standards than required by other ordinances, rules or regulations, or by easements, covenants or agreements, the regulations of this article shall govern. In the event of a difference or conflict between the text of this article and the zoning districts shown on the zoning map, the designation on such map shall prevail.”

Page 38 of 39 ends

Section 22. California Environmental Quality Act. The Zoning Ordinance Amendment is exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that the provisions contained herein would not have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Furthermore, the amendments do not authorize physical expansions of certain uses, but rather sets operational performance standards. A streamlined approval process for Type 41 and 47 alcohol licenses, and additional parking reduction options optimize existing built environments and commercial spaces without increasing development intensity or creating new traffic-generating uses.

Because the amendments are limited to regulating internal operations, establishing performance criteria, and streamlining administrative procedures, there is no proposed physical development, and therefore, no further environmental review is required.

Section 23. Severability Clause. If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance or its application to any person or circumstances, is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases of this Ordinance, or its application to any other person or circumstance. The City Council declares that it would have adopted each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases hereof be declared invalid or unenforceable.

Section 24. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after passage.

Section 25. Certification. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same or a summary thereof to be published and poste din the manner require by law.

Page 39 of 39 ends

PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this ___ day of _________, 2026, by the following vote to wit.

AYES: ( )
NOES: ( )
ABSENT: ( )
ABSTAIN: ( )
________________________________
Jeremy Wolf, Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________________
Kimberly M. Rodrigues, MMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________
Candice K. Lee, City Attorney
RESOLUTION NO. 26-2147

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AGOURA

HILLS, CALIFORNIA APPROVING A SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT TO

THE AGOURA VILLAGE SPECIFIC PLAN (AVSP) TO ESTABLISH A

STREAMLINED REVIEW AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS

FOR ELIGIBLE PROJECT TYPES, ALIGN ON-SALE ALCOHOL

BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENT USE PROVISIONS WITH THE

MUNICIPAL CODE, AND MAKE A DETERMINATION OF EXEMPTION
UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA).
(CASE NO. PZ-2026-89-SPA; APPLICANT: CITY OF AGOURA HILLS) WHEREAS, the City Council and the City’s Economic Development Team are engaged in an ongoing effort to stimulate local business activity and enhance the economic landscape within the City of Agoura Hills; and
WHEREAS, the City conducted community-wide outreach, through which local stakeholders identified the complexity of the current permitting process as a barrier to business retention, expansion, and attraction; and
WHEREAS, the Community Development Department evaluated existing regulations and identified areas for improvement in the Agoura Village Specific Plan (“AVSP”) that could be streamlined to reduce complexity and foster economic vitality; and WHEREAS, an application was duly filed by the City of Agoura Hills to amend the Agoura Village Specific Plan to establish clear procedural thresholds; and WHEREAS, Planning Commission of the City of Agoura Hills considered the proposed Specific Plan Amendment at a public hearing held on August 6, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., as required by law, and at which the Planning Commission received testimony from City staff and all interested parties regarding the proposed amendments. Following the close of the public hearing the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 26-1326 recommending approval of the Specific Plan Amendment; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, at a regular meeting, considered the Specific Plan Amendment on September 9, 2026 at a duly noticed public hearing, as prescribed by law, at which time City staff and interested persons had an opportunity to and did testify either in support or against this matter. Following the public hearing, the City Council considered the entire record of information received at the public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AGOURA HILLS HEREBY FINDS, RESOLVES, AND ORDERS AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. The facts set forth in the recitals of this Resolution are true and correct.

Page 2 of 5 ends

Section 2. General Plan. The proposed amendments to the Agoura Village Specific Plan are consistent with the General Plan. Specifically, the amendments advance Goal ED-1, Policy ED-1.1 (Diversified Economic Base). By reducing administrative barriers, businesses will be able to secure approvals and begin operations more efficiently, thereby expanding local employment opportunities.

Section 3. Agoura Village Specific Plan. Pursuant to Chapter 7 (Administration) of the City Council finds that the Specific Plan Amendments are consistent with the with the AVSP because it furthers the Plan’s vision by establishing clear project thresholds to determine the appropriate approval path. By allowing minor modifications to proceed through an administrative approval process, the amendments will expedite business occupancy, saving applicants and local businesses valuable time and resources.

Furthermore, the amendment aligns certain on-sale alcohol establishments within the AVSP with the City’s citywide streamlining process, ensuring a balanced concentration of such uses throughout the City. Collectively, these amendments will foster a more supportive business environment within the City, thereby contributing to its long-term economic vitality.

In approving the Specific Plan Amendment, the City Council has considered the following factors (per Section D of Chapter 7) of the AVSP:

1. The proposed amendment conforms with the Plan’s objectives and design guidelines. Because the amendment is strictly administrative, it does not alter, delete, or relax any physical development or architectural standards, nor make any changes that are inconsistent with the Plan’s objectives. All future projects, regardless of their approval path, must continue to adhere to the existing Plan objectives and design guidelines of the AVSP.

2. The proposed amendment is compatible with any approved development that will be affected by the Plan amendment. The amendment is not associated with any specific development project nor will the amendments impact any approved developments as the changes are related only to the administration of the AVSP.

3. The proposed amendment is compatible with existing and planned land uses surrounding the proposed Plan Amendment. The amendment does not alter zoning or density within the AVSP, but rather aligns administrative procedures for on-sale alcohol with the Zoning Ordinance.

4. Traffic impacts have been adequately analyzed for any increases in traffic generating uses including increased residential or commercial densities and mitigation measures have been incorporated as necessary. The amendment does not authorize or facilitate any increases in traffic-generating uses as the changes are limited to establishing an administrative approval path for minor modifications, and, as such, it does not generate new traffic impacts.

5. An analysis of the amendment’s impacts relative to the adopted CEQA documentation. The proposed amendments does not result in new environmental impacts beyond those analyzed in the previously adopted EIR for the AVSP because the amendments are procedural and only alter how the specific plan is

Page 3 of 5 ends

administered. The amendment is exempt from CEQA as described in Section 4, below.

Section 4. California Environmental Quality Act. The Specific Plan Amendment is exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that the provisions contained herein would not have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment because the proposed amendments to the AVSP are procedural and limited to identifying the review process for specific types of projects and as such, does not increase density or physical footprints, nor does it alter land use designations. Furthermore, there is no proposed physical development and as such, no further environmental review is required.

Section 5. Evidence, both written and oral, including the staff report and supporting documentation, was presented to and considered by the City Council at the aforementioned public hearing.

Section 6. Based on the aforementioned findings set forth above, the City Council hereby approves Specific Plan Amendment (Case No. PZ-2026-89-SPA) to the Agoura Village Specific Plan (AVSP) to establish a streamlined review and administrative approval process for eligible project types; align on-sale alcohol beverage establishment use provisions with the municipal code, and make a determination of exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act. The Agoura Village Specific Plan is hereby amended as shown in Exhibit A which is attached hereto and incorporated here by reference

Page 4 of 5 ends

PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this ___ day of_____, 2026, by the following vote to wit:

AYES: ( )
NOES: ( )
ABSENT: ( )
ABSTAIN: ( )

________________________________
Jeremy Wolf, Mayor

ATTEST:
_______________________________
Kimberly M. Rodrigues, MMC, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
________________________________
Candice K. Lee, City Attorney

Page 5 of 5 ends

EXHIBIT A

AGOURA VILLAGE SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT
(ATTACHED)
Legend:

X - Permitted Use
X* - Permitted Use (in specific location(s) within the building, such as second floor) CUP - Conditional Use Permit (subject to review and approval by the Planning Commission).

CUP* - Conditional Use Permit, unless the establishment operates under a Type 41 or 47, and complies with the provisions of Section 9396.1.A of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code (AHMC) TUP - Temporary Use Permit - issued by the Planning and Community Development Department “-” indicates the use is not permitted

LAND USE, REGULATIONS, & GUIDELINES
Land Uses
Permitted Uses
Table 2.2 provides a list of permitted and conditionally permitted uses for Village Areas A through E within the Specific Plan area. For Village Area F, land use regulations pursuant to sections 9481-9489.2 OS - Open Space District apply.

Table 2.2: Permitted Uses

Use Categories
Village Area

A B C D E
Residential
Apartments, condominiums, retirement homes, or living quarters (above the ground floors only) CUP CUP CUP CUP -
Standalone residential (such as apartments, townhouses, and condominiums, retirement homes, or living quarters) CUP CUP CUP CUP - Affordable housing
X X X X - Retail
Alcoholic beverage establishments, off-sale CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP Game arcade CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Movie theatre CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Off sale liquor establishment - - - - -
Retail [as defined in Chapter I (Definitions) of Article IX of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code]
X X X X X Restaurant
Alcoholic beverage establishments, on-sale CUP* CUP* CUP* CUP* CUP* Bakery / pastry X X X X X
Bar / tavern CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Coffee shop / coffee house X X X X X
Delicatessen X X X X X
Family restaurant X X X X X
Formal dining X X X X X
Ice cream shop X X X X X
Juice bar X X X X X
Microbrewery CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Pizza parlor X X X X X
On-site wine tasting / Sales CUP CUP CUP CUP CUP
Sidewalk café Subject to the provisions of the AHMC
Specialty foods X X X X X

Agoura Village Specific Plan
18 May 2024
2 ADMINISTRATION
Agoura Village Specific Plan Administration
E. Agoura Village Specific
Plan Administration
The Agoura Hills Community Development Department
is responsible for the administration, implementation,
and enforcement of this Plan.

All projects involving new construction requiring an
Agoura Village Development Permit must follow a
three-step process. The steps are as follows:

1. Concept Review

2. Preapplication Review

3. Submittal of a Formal Application
As part of the review process of the Agoura Village
Specific Plan, Concept and Preapplication Reviews
are mandatory. A submittal of the formal application
will not be accepted until the project submitted by
the applicant has undergone Concept Review and
Preapplication Review.

The Concept Review should be undertaken very early
in the process while the project site layout is still in its preliminary stage. The primary objective of the Concept Review is to ensure that new projects are designed and
consistent with the Agoura Village Specific Plan vision while the project is in their early stages, which allows applicants to have clear expectations of the review
and approval process.

The Concept Review will focus on evaluating projects
for consistency with the vision and regulations
provided by the Plan, including the established land
uses, standards, and guidelines that address each site, as well as those that are applicable area-wide. Upon
completion of the Concept Review and Preapplication
Review process, a formal application for an Agoura
Village Development Permit may be submitted to the
City.

Agoura Village Development Permit
Any new development, redevelopment, or renovation
of existing property within the Plan boundaries shall
require an Agoura Village Development Permit (AVDP),
in addition to other applicable permits and approvals
(e.g., Parcel Map or Tentative Tract Map). With the
exception of the affordable housing opportunity sites,
where the Plan conflicts with the requirements of the
Agoura Hills Municipal Code, the Plan provisions will
take precedence.

The Agoura Village Development Permit is designed
and intended to provide for the orderly development
of land in conformance with the vision contemplated
by the Agoura Village Specific Plan. Through the
Agoura Village Development Permit review process
City staff will ensure that projects are consistent with the development standards and design guidelines
contained in the Plan.

Finding
Approval of an Agoura Village Development
Permit shall require that Planning and Community
Development Department make the following finding:

1. The proposed project complies with the vision
and regulations provided by the Plan, including
the established land uses and standards, that
address each site, as well as those that are
applicable areawide.

Exempt Projects
The following projects shall not require an Agoura
Village Development Permit:
 Alterations and repairs to existing buildings,
structures, or other improvements that do not
substantially modify the existing architectural
character of the buildings and structures on the
property and do not increase existing floor area.
 Additions of unenclosed patios or shade
structures to an existing tenant space that do not
substantially modify the existing architectural
character of the building, provided that all
exempt additions for that tenant space do not
cumulatively exceed 500 square feet.

May 2024 103 Agoura Village Specific Plan
7 ADMINISTRATION
Allowable Land Uses
Exempt projects shall be reviewed and approved
administratively if the project complies with the
vision and regulations provided by the Plan,
including the established land uses and standards
that address each site, as well as those that are
applicable areawide.

F.Allowable Land Uses
Land uses that is not listed in the Table 2.2 in Chapter 2 are not allowed except as follows:

1. Required Findings: The Director may determine
in writing that a proposed use is similar and
compatible to a listed use and may be allowed
upon making one or more of the following
findings:
a. The characteristics of and activities associated
with candidate uses are similar to one or
more of the allowed uses and will not involve
substantially greater intensity than the uses
listed for that village area;
b. The candidate uses will be consistent with
the purpose and vision of the applicable
village area;
c. The candidate uses will be otherwise
consistent with the intent of the Specific Plan;
d. The candidate uses will be compatible with
the other uses listed for the applicable village
area.

2. The Director may refer the question of whether a
proposed use is allowable directly to the Planning
Commission or City Council for a determination
at a public hearing.

3. A determination of the Director or Planning
Commission may be appealed in compliance
with the appeals procedure set forth in the City
of Agoura Hills Municipal Code.

G.Nonconforming Uses
Existing uses that are not permitted or not listed in
Table 2.2 in Chapter 2 (Land Use and Development
Standards) are declared nonconforming uses. Please
refer to the City of Agoura Hills Municipal Code for
definitions and policies managing the following
nonconforming uses:
• Continuances (continuing operation of
nonconforming uses)
• Changing uses
• Terminations of nonconforming uses
Standards contained in Chapter 2 (Land Use and
Development Standards) are mandatory requirements
that must be satisfied for all new projects and building renovations for any increase in square footage over
200 square feet or any major modification, as defined
by Article IX of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code, of
the exterior, which includes new construction of any
non-habitable accessory structure that exceeds 100
square feet in gross floor area and are subject to an
Agoura Village Development Permit, unless exempt
pursuant to Section E (Exempt Projects) of Chapter 7
(Administration). H.Open Space Designations
The open space areas (Village Area F) shown on
Figure 2-1 in Chapter 2 (Land Use and Development
Standards) shall remain as open space per the
requirements of City Ordinance No. 99-300. City
Ordinance No. 99-300 requires voter approval to
change these areas to non-open space uses.

Agoura Village Specific Plan
104
May 2024
7 REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
DATE: SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: NATHAN HAMBURGER, CITY MANAGER
BY:

MARY HADDAD, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

RAMIRO ADEVA, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE
September is National Preparedness Month, making it an appropriate time to provide the City Council and community with an update on the City’s ongoing emergency management efforts. Over the past several months, the City Manager’s Office has continued to build and strengthen the City’s emergency management program through wildfire planning, emergency communications, staff training, community outreach, home hardening, and partnerships with regional agencies and community organizations.

The City’s goal is not only to be prepared to respond when an emergency occurs, but to help residents prepare before one happens. The work outlined in this report represents continued investment in that effort and reflects the City’s commitment to providing residents with the information, resources, partnerships, and tools they need to be better prepared.

Since the City Council’s Law Enforcement / Fire / Emergency Response Subcommittee on August 10, 2026 led by Mayor Pro Tem Deborah Klein Lopez and Councilmember Penny Sylvester, reviewed these efforts, staff has continued to move forward on the Subcommittee’s feedback and recommendations. This report provides an update on that progress and highlights several initiatives that have advanced since the Subcommittee meeting.

Following adoption of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) by the City Council in May 2026, staff launched the CWPP Agency Working Group to begin coordinating implementation of the plan’s recommendations with regional partners.

The first meeting was held on July 26, 2026, with participation from the Agoura Hills Fire Safe Council, Lost Hills/Malibu Sheriff’s Station, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, California State Parks, the Santa Monica Mountains Fire Safe Council, the Community Brigade, and the Agoura Hills Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Agencies unable to attend were provided with a meeting briefing to remain informed of the kickoff and next steps. The meeting included an overview of the CWPP, a discussion regarding the structure and goals of future meetings, and updates from participating agencies regarding current emergency preparedness and wildfire resilience projects. The group also began identifying opportunities for collaboration and partnership.

The Agency Working Group is anticipated to reconvene in October as part of its quarterly meeting schedule. Staff will continue coordinating with partner agencies as implementation opportunities develop and will provide an update regarding the City’s CAL FIRE grant application. Staff also anticipates holding a community-wide CWPP update later this year or early next year to provide residents with an overview of the plan and implementation efforts.

Following adoption of the CWPP, staff began identifying grant opportunities that could support implementation of the plan’s recommendations. Staff subsequently submitted an application to the CAL FIRE Proposition 4 Wildfire Prevention Grant Program on July 8, 2026.

Working with the CWPP Agency Working Group, staff identified priority projects and submitted funding requests for three significant initiatives:

CW Recommendation 6 – Prescribed Grazing: Work with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, National Park Service, and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to identify opportunities to implement grazing of herbaceous fuels, particularly in Palo Comado/Chesebro and Liberty Canyons.

CW Recommendation 4 – Mechanical Fuel Reduction: Coordinate with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, National Park Service, and Caltrans on mechanical fuel treatments adjacent to the City, including areas in Palo Comado, Chesebro Canyon, Reyes Adobe, Forest Cove, and the U.S. 101 corridor.

Updated Evacuation Plan: Develop an updated evacuation plan for the City of Agoura Hills.

Staff secured multiple letters of support from partner agencies as part of the application process. The City anticipates receiving information regarding the grant application between approximately November 2026 and January 2027. Staff will keep the City Council and Subcommittee informed as additional information becomes available.

Strengthening emergency communications continues to be a major priority for the City. The City’s goal is to provide residents with clear, reliable information through multiple communication channels before, during, and after an emergency. Following feedback from the Law Enforcement / Fire / Emergency Response Subcommittee, staff is moving forward with the development of a dedicated Agoura Hills emergency information website/dashboard. The concept is modeled after regional emergency information platforms such as Ventura County’s VC Emergency website and would provide residents with one centralized location for emergency information.

The future dashboard is envisioned to include:

Real-time emergency updates;
Evacuation information and instructions;
Evacuation zones;
Shelter information;
Road and access information;
Preparedness resources;
Emergency terminology and guidance; and
Other critical information residents may need during an emergency.

The dashboard will also be incorporated into the City’s Crisis Communications Plan and emergency operations procedures so that the Public Information Officer, or their designee, can direct residents to one centralized source for verified information during an emergency.

Staff is also nearing completion of the City’s emergency preparedness application, Agoura Hills Ready. While the emergency dashboard will be focused primarily on providing real-time information during an incident, Agoura Hills Ready is designed as a preparedness resource that residents can use before an emergency and access without relying on internet or cell service. The application will include preparedness checklists, evacuation terminology, utility shut-off information, emergency contact information, and other resources to help residents prepare themselves, their families, homes, and pets. Staff is currently working toward finalizing the application and will provide additional information as it moves closer to launch.

Staff has also continued exploring additional ways to reach residents during an emergency, including radio communications. Staff met with Cal Lutheran University’s KCLU Radio to explore a potential partnership that would allow the City to provide emergency information through radio broadcasts.

This communication method will be incorporated into the City’s Crisis Communications Plan, providing another avenue for residents to receive verified information in the event of an emergency, including situations where internet or cellular service may be unavailable. Staff is also exploring potential funding opportunities for a Cityoperated emergency radio station similar to programs established by neighboring communities.

As part of National Preparedness Month, the City has significantly increased its public education and outreach efforts throughout September.

Staff has filmed the City’s Emergency Preparedness Month video campaign, with weekly videos and social media content focused on practical preparedness information. Two videos have already been released, including a preparedness video featuring Mayor Jeremy Wolf demonstrating what residents should include in a go-bag and an interactive evacuation trivia video designed to help residents test their knowledge. The campaign is being shared across the City’s social media platforms, YouTube, and the City’s emergency preparedness website.

The City is also hosting a Senior Emergency Alerts and Communications Workshop on September 29 at the Agoura Hills Event Center. The workshop will provide seniors with information on emergency alerts, communication resources, and ways to stay informed during an emergency.

In addition, Agoura Hills CERT is promoting its September training opportunities and continuing to provide residents with hands-on emergency preparedness and disaster response education. CERT's program is designed to prepare residents to assist themselves, their families, and their neighbors following a disaster.

The City has continued to make progress on developing a Large Animal Response Program, particularly in response to feedback received through outreach with the Old Agoura community. Following the initial community meeting held on June 3, staff has continued meeting with County partners to determine how a coordinated large animal response could operate during Red Flag Warnings and evacuations.

Most recently, City staff met with representatives from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control, and Los Angeles County Public Works. The meeting focused on coordination, roles and responsibilities, potential staging locations, and how resources could be utilized during an emergency. An update on the recent County coordination meeting and proposed next steps will be provided to the City Council at this meeting.

Staff has also launched a survey to better understand the City’s large animal inventory, including the number and types of animals, available trailers, and residents who have an evacuation plan or may need assistance developing one. This information will help inform the development of a comprehensive Large Animal Response Plan.

The City continues to work closely with the Agoura Hills Fire Safe Council to promote home hardening and defensible space.

Through the City’s free vent mesh program, approximately 215 homes have benefited to date. The program supports the City Council’s goal of helping residents take practical steps to reduce the vulnerability of their homes to wildfire. Staff is also exploring new technology that could provide residents with additional tools to evaluate their properties.

Following an introduction by Councilmember Penny Sylvester, staff met with OpalAI to learn more about its FireVision technology and its ability to assess homes and identify potential defensible space and home-hardening vulnerabilities. Since the Subcommittee meeting, staff has continued this work by coordinating with the Liberty Canyon HOA. Staff has contacted and plans to meet with the HOA to discuss next steps on this pilot program.

Staff continues to strengthen the City’s internal emergency response capabilities through ongoing Emergency Operations Center (EOC) training.

In late 2025, staff developed an EOC Setup Tutorial for City employees and used the October 2025 Great ShakeOut exercise as an opportunity to conduct a surprise, hands-on EOC setup exercise. This year, staff developed a curated series of FEMA trainings tailored to each EOC section. The trainings provide employees with a foundation in emergency management terminology, operational functions, and their specific roles and responsibilities during an EOC activation.

Phase 1 of the training program was completed in June. Staff has now transitioned into Phase 2, which included a recent staff training on August 13. This training included an earthquake drill, in which staff was able to become more familiar with their roles and ask questions to further prepare.

Staff has also conducted monthly virtual check-ins to test communication procedures, confirm that employees understand how they will be notified during an emergency, and identify any additional resources or support needed. In addition, City staff has continued expanding its operational partnerships. On August 27, City staff, including Recreation staff, met with the American Red Cross to discuss training opportunities related to shelter operations and how City personnel can assist with sheltering residents during an emergency.

As the City continues implementing its emergency management program, staff will focus on several key priorities:

Continue development of the City’s emergency information dashboard to provide one centralized source for real-time emergency information.

Finalize and launch the Agoura Hills Ready preparedness application.

Continue implementing the CWPP and coordinating with the CWPP Agency Working Group.

Continue monitoring the CAL FIRE Proposition 4 grant application and provide updates when the City receives a funding determination.

Continue development of a comprehensive Large Animal Response Plan in coordination with County and regional partners.

Continue home hardening and defensible space outreach, including evaluation of emerging technologies such as FireVision.

Continue EOC staff training, exercises, and communication drills.

Continue public outreach throughout National Preparedness Month and beyond.

Continue building partnerships with the Red Cross, Fire Safe Council, County agencies, neighboring communities, and other emergency preparedness organizations.

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council receive and file this Emergency Management Program Update and provide any feedback to staff as the City continues implementing its emergency management and preparedness initiatives.

This report is intended as an informational update only. No City Council action is requested at this time.

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