Agoura Hills — Landscaping and Screening

Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

Agoura Hills' zoning rules set district-specific minimum landscape area, screening/wall requirements, native-plant and oak‑tree protections, and a landscape‑plan review process. Required elements include berming, percent‑of‑lot landscaping, irrigation/MWELO compliance, and mandatory screening between commercial and residential uses. Where height or fence exceptions are needed, the planning director or commission may approve modifications; verify application‑specific relief with the city. See the city's Zoning and Land Use pages for where a parcel sits in the map.

Key city rules (plain-English + code citations)

• Minimum lot landscaping ranges from 10% to 20% depending on district; many commercial districts require 15% as a baseline (§ 9323.6, § 9344.11, § 9373.7, § 9386.6) .
• Where development adjoins residential uses, the code usually requires decorative walls or landscaping buffering, commonly a 6‑ft decorative wall unless waived (§ 9323.7, § 9344.12, § 9544.1.C) .
• Berming (undulating/embanked landscaping) with a minimum elevation variation of 30 inches is required in several commercial districts (§ 9323.6.A, § 9344.11.A, § 9373.7.A, § 9386.6.A) .
• New landscape areas must use at least 50% native, drought‑tolerant species (Calscape list for Agoura Hills) and comply with MWELO; palm trees are prohibited in new required areas (§ 9658/various and § 9606.x excerpts: see §§ 9658.1, 9658.2, § 9606.3) .
• Oak trees and protected oaks have special limits on canopy/root disturbance and removal; oak standards and an oak report requirement are invoked in multiple parts of the code (§ 9663.K; cross‑references to § 9657 for the oak ordinance) .
• Landscape plans are reviewed by the planning department and a city landscape consultant; installation, irrigation, and a one‑year maintenance period (with surety for incomplete work) are required before final acceptance (§ 9658.1–9658.2) .
• Fences/walls have district limits and materials prohibitions (six‑foot typical limit, measurement rules, and prohibited materials lists); hedges that function as barriers are subject to the same height restrictions (§ 9606.3 and related fence/wall subsections) .
• Landscaping and screening must also satisfy other city requirements (stormwater/LID, fire fuel‑modification, and connections to pedestrian design and Parking and Development Standards elements) (§ 9606.x, § 9663.x) .

Note: Where the code allows a waiver or director modification, the relevant subsection is cited in the district text below. For parcel‑specific application of waivers or exceptions, verify with the planning department.

District-by-district landscaping & screening summary

Each subsection names the district (bold), gives the landscaping/screening purpose, common uses, and the most relevant standards that will affect landscaping, fences, and trees.

CRS (Commercial Retail/Service District)

Purpose: Neighborhood/regional shopping centers and service uses adjacent to neighborhoods. Typical uses: retail, service businesses and small offices.
Key landscaping/screening: 15% minimum landscaped area of the lot; berming with 30 in. elevation variation; one 24‑inch box native oak per 15,000 sf building area; decorative screening/walls required along edges adjacent to residential; no storage within required landscaping (§ 9344.11–9344.12) .
Where it applies: commercial centers and shopping center areas designated CRS on city maps — combine with Overlay Districts if applicable.

BP‑OR (Business Park / Office Retail)

Purpose: Business parks and office complexes with pedestrian amenities. Typical uses: offices, supporting retail, and light commercial.
Key landscaping/screening: 20% minimum landscaped area; berming (30 in.) and one 24‑inch box oak per 15,000 sf; landscaping must reduce parking dominance and provide buffers to adjacent neighborhoods (§ 9373.7) .
Where it applies: business park parcels (see Zoning map).

CN (Neighborhood Commercial District)

Purpose: Smallscale neighborhood commercial services. Typical uses: local retail and services.
Key landscaping/screening: 10% minimum landscaped area; berming (30 in.); one 24‑inch box oak per 15,000 sf building area; required landscape must screen property from adjoining districts (§ 9386.6) .

CS (Commercial Service) / Display/Outdoor Sales (auto, nursery, etc.)

Purpose: Commercial service and outdoor display uses (e.g., auto dealerships, nurseries). Typical rules: special display enclosure, screening and landscaping tied to outside display area.
Key landscaping/screening: 15% of outside display area must be landscaped; trees/shrubs minimum container sizes specified (trees 15 gal., shrubs 5 gal.); display areas must be enclosed and visually screened, with limited openings allowed; planting used as screening must achieve required height within one year (§ 9323.6 and related display provisions) .

Old Agoura Overlay (OA Overlay)

Purpose: Preserve the rural/equestrian character in Old Agoura. Typical uses: commercial and residential consistent with rural character.
Key landscaping/screening: Minimum 15% landscaping required for commercial; emphasis on pedestrian areas; all fences and walls finished on both sides; six‑foot fences permitted in front/street side yards only when sufficiently open for visibility (solid walls prohibited in front yard setbacks) (§ 9553.7, § 9555.A.5, § 9555.B.1) .

Freeway Corridor Overlay (FC Overlay)

Purpose: Manage visual treatment and screening along the US‑101 corridor. Typical uses: underlying district uses plus additional design controls.
Key landscaping/screening: automatic irrigation and a six‑foot decorative wall or equivalent berming along the full freeway frontage; setback and landscape requirements to preserve freeway visual quality (§ 9544.1.B–C) .

Indian Hills Overlay (IH Overlay)

Purpose: Special development standards sensitive to natural conditions in the Indian Hills area. Typical uses: same as underlying zones with extra design controls.
Key landscaping/screening: Landscape and materials must be compatible with terrain; native drought‑resistant plants are required on manufactured slopes; design review exercises stricter controls on planting and screening to preserve views (§ 9561–9563 excerpts) .

Hillside / Significant Ecological Areas (SEA)

Purpose: Protect natural hillsides, ridgelines, and ecological resources. Typical uses: limited residential and accessory development under discretionary review.
Key landscaping/screening: Prior approval (CUP or architectural review) required; retention of trees and vegetation is explicitly required; immediate planting on cut/fill slopes and limits on grading/landscape installation; special transition zones apply adjacent to open space (§ 9652.5, § 9652.10) .

Most decision‑relevant standards (quick table)

Note: The open‑space view rules appear in the code excerpt provided; verify the exact local figure/GP map when applying. Verify parcel applicability with the planning department.

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy)

• Prepare a landscape plan showing percent of landscaped area and show compliance with the district minimum (10%–20%) — cite the district (§ 9386.6, § 9323.6, § 9373.7) .
• Show berming/contours where required (minimum 30 in. relief) and planting schedules for berms (§ 9323.6.A, § 9373.7.A) .
• Demonstrate ≥50% native/drought‑tolerant plant palette (Calscape list for Agoura Hills) and MWELO compliance; include irrigation design (§ 9658.x, § 9606.3) .
• If protected oaks are present, prepare an oak tree report and show compliance with oak protection standards (§ 9663.K; cross‑ref § 9657) .
• Provide screening between commercial and adjacent residential (decorative wall or planting); show wall heights, materials, and finish on both sides where OA overlays apply (§ 9323.7, § 9555.A.5) .
• For fences and hedges, show elevations and measurement method from adjacent grade (height limits typically 6 ft; hedges counted under same limits) (§ 9606.3 and related fence rules) .
• Coordinate the plan with Parking, stormwater/LID requirements, and any applicable Overlay Districts (freeway, Old Agoura, Indian Hills) (§ 9663.x, § 9544.1) .
• Submit plans to the planning department for consultant review and post surety if landscaping will be delayed (see § 9658.1) .

Risks & Ambiguities

If any item is parcel‑specific or uncertain, “Verify with the jurisdiction.”

Plain-English Summary

If you’re developing or changing landscaping in Agoura Hills, expect to submit a landscape plan showing the district‑required percentage of planting (generally 10%–20%), berming and irrigation (MWELO), native and drought‑tolerant species (≥50%), and any oak‑tree protections; decorative walls (commonly 6 ft) or plant buffers are required where commercial uses meet residences, and fence heights/materials are regulated — all reviewed by planning and a landscape consultant (§ 9323.6, § 9373.7, § 9658.1) .

Source References

• Agoura Hills Municipal Code — required landscaping & walls for shopping/retail center regulations: § 9323.6, § 9323.7 .
• CRS district landscaping & screening: § 9344.11, § 9344.12 .
• BP‑OR district landscaping standard (20%): § 9373.7 .
• CN district landscaping (10%): § 9386.6 .
• Landscape/wall rules and OA Overlay special standards: § 9553.7, § 9555.A.5 .
• Freeway Corridor Overlay landscape/wall requirements: § 9544.1.B–C .
• Hillside and SEA policy (tree retention, planting, discretionary review): § 9652.5, § 9652.10 .
• Landscape plan processing and submittal requirements: § 9658.1–9658.2 .
• Plant palette, oak standards, and other landscape standards (native percent, palm prohibition, LID/MWELO cross‑reference): excerpts around § 9606.3, § 9663.K, and related subsections .
• Fence/retaining wall measurements, permitted materials and exceptions: fence/wall subsections in the 9606 series (measurement and materials) .
  (Full code text is in the city's municipal code files; the references above point to the specific numbered subsections found in the retrieved ordinance excerpts.)

Retrieved passages

• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (section 9654) High relevance show source text
• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (§ 16) High relevance show source text
• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (section 9343.7) High relevance show source text
• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (section 9652.5) High relevance show source text
• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (section 9654) High relevance show source text
• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (article for) High relevance show source text
• Agoura Hills Zoning Code (section 9657) High relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Agoura Hills Municipal Code — required landscaping & walls for shopping/retail center regulations: **§ 9323.6**, **§ 9323.7** . (§ 9323.6)
• CRS district landscaping & screening: **§ 9344.11**, **§ 9344.12** . (§ 9344.11)
• BP‑OR district landscaping standard (20%): **§ 9373.7** . (§ 9373.7)
• CN district landscaping (10%): **§ 9386.6** . (§ 9386.6)
• Landscape/wall rules and OA Overlay special standards: **§ 9553.7**, **§ 9555.A.5** . (§ 9553.7)
• Freeway Corridor Overlay landscape/wall requirements: **§ 9544.1.B–C** . (§ 9544.1.B)
• Hillside and SEA policy (tree retention, planting, discretionary review): **§ 9652.5**, **§ 9652.10** . (§ 9652.5)
• Landscape plan processing and submittal requirements: **§ 9658.1**–**9658.2** . (§ 9658.1)
• Plant palette, oak standards, and other landscape standards (native percent, palm prohibition, LID/MWELO cross‑reference): excerpts around **§ 9606.3**, **§ 9663.K**, and related subsections . (§ 9606.3)
• Fence/retaining wall measurements, permitted materials and exceptions: fence/wall subsections in the 9606 series (measurement and materials) .
• AgouraHills_ZoningCode.md

• Official Agoura Hills code library