Building on a hillside in Agoura Hills: the local rules

Each rule below links to the section of the Agoura Hills Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Agoura Hills's code says

Agoura Hills code What Agoura Hills's code adds
Grading and retaining walls	No development or soil disturbance on slopes over 35%, except access roads to a home. Applies: Housing development applications under this part, on parcels with an average slope over 10%; the general hillside ordinance does not apply. § 9293.8 · code text no development or soil disturbance activities shall occur on slopes greater than thirty-five (35) percent unless it is required to provide access roads to a dwelling unit. Graded and cut-and-fill slopes must be planted or protected within 30 days after grading ends. Applies: Housing development applications under this part, on parcels with an average slope over 10%; the general hillside ordinance does not apply. § 9293.8 · code text All manufactured slopes or the face of cut-and-fill slopes shall be planted or otherwise protected from the effects of storm runoff and erosion within thirty (30) days after the completion of grading. No development on slopes over 35%. Applies: Projects in the AH overlay district; the general hillside ordinance does not apply. § 9525.7 · code text No development shall occur on slopes greater than thirty-five (35) percent.
Height on hillside lots	Buildings and structures may be no more than 15 feet tall. Applies: Residential or open space hillside lots with the rear lot line higher than the front; measured above average finished grade at the rear setback line. § 9607.1 · code text For properties zoned residential or open space, where the average elevation of the rear lot line is above the average elevation of the front lot line, no building or structure shall exceed a height of fifteen (15) feet above the average finished grade of the rear yard setback line. Buildings and structures may be no more than 15 feet tall. Applies: Residential or open space hillside lots with the rear lot line lower than the front; measured above the average elevation of the front lot line. § 9607.1 · code text For properties zoned residential or open space, where the average elevation of the rear lot line is below the average elevation of the front lot line, no building or structure shall exceed a height of fifteen (15) feet above the average elevation of the front lot line.
When hillside rules apply	Parcels with an average slope over 10% must meet the hillside standards. Applies: Housing development applications under this part; the general hillside ordinance does not apply. § 9293.8 · code text Instead, development on any parcel having an average slope of greater than ten (10) percent shall meet the following standards: Sites averaging 10% slope or steeper: buildings must be at least 30 feet from the top of a slope. Applies: Projects in the AH overlay district; the general hillside ordinance does not apply. § 9525.7 · code text Structures shall be located with a minimum building setback of thirty (30) feet from the top of a slope on sites with an average slope of ten (10) percent or steeper.

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What extra rules apply to a hillside lot in Agoura Hills?

Agoura Hills's code: Parcels with an average slope over 10% must meet the hillside standards. (Housing development applications under this part; the general hillside ordinance does not apply.) (§ 9293.8); No development or soil disturbance on slopes over 35%, except access roads to a home. (Housing development applications under this part, on parcels with an average slope over 10%; the general hillside ordinance does not apply.) (§ 9293.8).

Building on a hillside in Agoura Hills

What Agoura Hills's code says

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