Custom home planning resource · Los Angeles County and the South Bay
Planning a custom home in Agoura Hills
In Agoura Hills, new construction that needs a building permit generally needs a Site Plan Review and an Architectural Review, combined into one SPAR application. The Planning Commission reviews most SPAR permits; some minor projects may qualify for an administrative SPAR.
KB Remodeling takes new-home inquiries from owners planning here. Share the lot and the project; KB reviews scope, licensing and location for each inquiry before suggesting a next step.
Planning sequence
01
Use the SPAR guide
The City's guide states that a Site Plan Review permit is required for new construction that needs a building permit (unless a Conditional Use Permit applies) and that Architectural Review is required for new construction; when both apply, they are combined into one SPAR application.
Official resource: Agoura Hills Planning Division · Guide to the SPAR ApplicationCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
02
Ask who decides and talk to staff early
The Planning Commission is the reviewing authority for most SPAR permits, while the Community Development Director may approve certain minor projects administratively. The guide strongly urges consulting City staff early to confirm application requirements.
Official resource: Agoura Hills Planning Division · Guide to the SPAR ApplicationCity-wide guidance · Passage checked
03
Read the Architectural Design Standards & Guidelines
The SPAR guide strongly encourages applicants to consult the Zoning Ordinance (Title IX of the Municipal Code) and the City's Architectural Design Standards & Guidelines. Ask Planning which sections apply to your lot.
Official resource: Agoura Hills · Architectural Design Standards & GuidelinesCity-wide guidance · Passage checked · supporting excerpt read through search results from the official page; confirm current instructions with the agency
Each step links to the official page it comes from. Requirements differ by parcel; confirm with the agency.
Who reviews a new home here
Agoura Hills is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County.
City of Agoura Hills — Community Development (Planning Division and Building & Safety).
Local planning journey
Which planning question to resolve first here, and why it shapes the brief. Each answer comes from the cited City page or stays a question for staff.
Question 1
Does the house need a combined SPAR permit?
The City's SPAR guide says Site Plan Review applies to new construction needing a building permit (without a CUP), Architectural Review to new construction, and the two combine when both apply.
source: Agoura Hills Planning Division · Guide to the SPAR ApplicationQuestion 2
How does the design respond to landform and native vegetation?
The City's Design Guidelines page (read via search excerpt, October 13, 2026) does not dictate styles but expects harmony with natural landforms and native vegetation.
source: Agoura Hills · Architectural Design Standards & GuidelinesQuestion 3
Who decides?
The Planning Commission reviews most SPAR permits; ask staff early whether yours is minor.
source: Agoura Hills Planning Division · Guide to the SPAR Application
Finding the current official checklist
Use the SPAR guide and the Design Guidelines page; the guidelines page moved to the City's agourahillscity.gov domain.
Owner evidence to gather first
- Topography and existing native vegetation
- Site sections showing landform response
- Staff note on decision level
Agoura Hills: two reviews, one application
| Review | Covers |
|---|---|
| Site Plan Review | New construction needing a building permit, without a CUP |
| Architectural Review | Design of new construction |
| SPAR | Both combined into one application |
Source: Agoura Hills Planning Division · Guide to the SPAR Application
Local issues and the budget lines they touch
| Local issue | Budget line it affects |
|---|---|
| Commission review | Hearing preparation |
| Landform and vegetation | Landscape architecture and grading design |
No dollar amounts or local premiums are implied.
Hypothetical: a family's preferred plan flattens a slope with native oaks. Reading the guidelines, they ask the architect for a stepped option before the SPAR submission.
What shapes the budget here
- Design and landscape studies for architectural review
- Preparation for a Planning Commission hearing where SPAR goes to the Commission
- Conditions of approval that the reviewing authority may impose
These items affect cost; none is a price. See how to build a realistic budget: Custom home budget guide
Parcel questions to answer first
- Does the house need a full SPAR or could it qualify for an administrative SPAR?
- Is the parcel mapped in a fire hazard severity zone, and what does that add?
- Are protected trees or native vegetation on the site?
Gather before a first conversation
- Address or APN and recent site photos
- Survey, title report and prior permits if available
- Architect drawings, or a written list of rooms and priorities
- Target timing and how you plan to finance construction
Related guides: Buying land to build · Lot utility due diligence · Choosing a custom-home builder · 2025 Energy Code for new homes · Hillside lot due diligence
Official sources
Each source shows what it covers and whether its passage was checked in our review.
- Agoura Hills · Architectural Design Standards & Guidelines
City design standards referenced by the SPAR guide.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked · supporting excerpt read through search results from the official page; confirm current instructions with the agency - Agoura Hills Planning Division · Guide to the SPAR Application
When Site Plan and Architectural Review apply; who reviews; early staff consultation.
City-wide guidance · Passage checked
2 of 2 official source passages checked (latest October 13, 2026).
Page content last updated:
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