Agoura Hills council approves citywide LED conversion under SCE LS‑1 Option E, selecting warmer 2,700K fixtures

The Agoura Hills City Council on March 4 approved an agreement with Southern California Edison to participate in the utility’s LS‑1 Option E streetlight conversion program, authorizing the mayor to sign the contract and directing Edison to install 2,700 Kelvin LED fixtures across the city’s Edison‑owned lights.

"It is recommended that the city council approve the agreement with Southern California Edison to participate in the LS1 option e program with 2,700 Kelvin fixtures and authorize the mayor to execute the agreement with Edison on behalf of the city council," said Charmaine Yanbao, the city’s senior civil engineer, summarizing staff’s recommendation.

Why it matters: The program replaces older high‑pressure sodium vapor (HPSV) fixtures with LEDs to achieve greater energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions and provide consistent nighttime lighting. City staff and the public‑works subcommittee recommended the warmest LED option (2,700 K) to approximate the existing color temperature and to limit perceived brightness changes while keeping safety and illuminance standards.

Key facts: Charmaine Yanbao said Southern California Edison owns 1,993 streetlights that serve the city (most billed through Los Angeles County lighting districts) and 21 lights billed directly to the city; the city directly owns 126 fixtures (already LED on Agoura Road). Edison offers LED color temperatures of 2,700 K, 3,000 K and 4,000 K; council approved 2,700 K. Staff and Edison's presentation noted LED replacements maintain equivalent roadway illuminance and do not change pole spacing; Edison proposed replacing all fixtures at once for consistency, and Edison amortizes the capital cost through an LS‑1 tariff over the life of the fixtures.

Council debate: Council members said they preferred the warmer 2,700 K option though several members noted LEDs look brighter despite measured equivalence. Council member Anderson, who led the subcommittee tour, said consistency and energy savings outweighed aesthetic preferences. Council member Deborah Klein Lopez asked about existing 4,000 K fixtures on Agora Road and was told those city‑designed fixtures would remain as‑installed; Edison‑owned concrete pole and arm fixtures will be changed consistently citywide under the program.

Vote and implementation: Council member Anderson moved to approve the agreement; Deborah Klein Lopez seconded. The roll call vote was 4–0 in favor (Anderson, Anstead, Klein Lopez and Mayor Sylvester). Staff said the city would enter Edison’s installation queue and that the conversion schedule would align with nearby jurisdictions already in queue.

Budget and operations: Staff estimated modest annual savings (about $2,000) from reduced energy and maintenance costs for the city‑account lights; Edison will amortize upfront costs through its tariff. The council received assurances that the LED wattage recommendations will match existing brightness levels and that safety and liability concerns limit how much individual wattage can be reduced.

Next steps: Staff will finalize and the mayor will execute the agreement with Edison; installation scheduling will follow Edison’s queue. Council asked staff to continue public communications about timing and what residents should expect as fixtures are upgraded.