Agoura Hills council introduces ordinance to update rules for wall- and ground-mounted residential equipment

Agoura Hills — The City Council on April 8 introduced an amendment to the municipal code that would update how the city regulates exterior residential equipment such as wall-mounted tankless water heaters, backup battery energy storage systems and certain ground-mounted mechanical units.

Associate planner Eric Wong told the council the draft ordinance, numbered 26-487, was prompted by inconsistencies in the zoning code and the city’s climate action goals. “The item before you this evening is a zoning ordinance amendment concerning accessory equipment and residential uses, also known as ordinance number 26-487,” Wong said during his presentation.

Wong said the draft clarifies that some modern exterior equipment not explicitly referenced in current code — including heat pumps and battery systems — would be allowed under new standards. For ground-mounted mechanical equipment, the director could waive screening requirements where feasible; certain equipment could be located in front yards if visibly screened from public view and placed outside required setbacks. Wall-mounted equipment that is currently unaddressed would be captured under newly written standards and subject to building- and fire-code requirements.

The ordinance also proposes changes to uses in the city’s very-low-density residential (RV) zoning district. Staff recommended moving commercial riding stables to the conditional-use-permit process so those uses receive public review, and removing the term “private recreation clubs” from director-review lists because homeowners associations are treated differently in other residential districts.

Staff recommended the council find the amendment exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under the common-sense exemption (section 15061B3 as cited in staff materials), noting that individual projects would receive case-by-case environmental review if necessary.

Council members across the dais supported the revision as a needed update to reflect modern equipment and the city’s climate priorities. Mayor Pro Tim Klein Lopez said the changes align the municipal code with state law and the climate action plan, while asking staff to communicate changes clearly to homeowners associations. “It was really important for us to be consistent with our climate action and adaptation plan,” he said.

After brief technical questions — including whether exterior EV charging equipment would be covered (staff confirmed the draft would capture exterior EV-charging outlets and fixtures) — the council voted 5–0 to waive full reading and introduce ordinance 26-487.

Next steps: Introduction authorizes formal consideration; within 21 days after the public hearing closes the council may adopt the ordinance as drafted, approve it with modifications, or disapprove it. If adopted, affected property owners and applicants would still be subject to applicable building- and fire-code standards at the permitting stage.

Reporting note: The staff presentation included example images of preexisting, nonconforming equipment installed under prior county rules and emphasized that the proposed code would allow certain grandfathered configurations if screening and other standards are met.