Renewable Energy Ordinance Update
Notice of Preparation of a Draft Program Environmental Impact Report and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting
The County of Los Angeles (County), as Lead Agency pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will prepare a Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (Program EIR) for the proposed Renewable Energy Ordinance Update (project). The County has prepared this Notice of Preparation (NOP) to provide agencies, organizations, and other interested parties with sufficient information describing the project and its potential environmental effects to enable meaningful response to this NOP.
All interested parties, including the public, responsible agencies, and trustee agencies, are invited to provide comments and input on the scope and content of the environmental information contained in the Draft Program EIR. Trustee and responsible agencies should provide comments and input related to the agencies’ respective areas of statutory responsibilities in connection with the project. As a responsible or trustee agency, your agency may need to use the Program EIR prepared by the County when considering any permits that your agency must issue, or other approval for the project.
PROJECT NAME: Renewable Energy Ordinance Update
PROJECT NUMBERS:
Project No. PRJ2025-004286
Ordinance No. RPPL2025003692
Plan Amendment No. RPPL2026001579
Environmental Assessment No. RPPL2026001581
PROJECT APPLICANT: County of Los Angeles Department or Regional Planning
PROJECT LOCATION: Unincorporated Los Angeles County
PROJECT BACKGROUND. In 2016, the County of Los Angeles adopted the Renewable Energy Ordinance to regulate renewable energy facilities. The Department of Regional Planning proposes an update to the Renewable Energy Ordinance to add regulations for battery energy storage systems and green hydrogen production facilities, and to update current regulations for solar and wind energy systems.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION. The project amends the Los Angeles County Code Title 22 (Planning and Zoning) to update regulations for solar and wind energy systems, temporary meteorological towers and to add regulations for battery energy storage systems and green hydrogen production facilities. The project includes amendments to the Antelope Valley Area Plan, West Carson Transit-Oriented District Specific Plan, and Florence-Firestone Transit-Oriented District Specific Plan for consistency. Generally, the project is intended to accomplish the following:
· Amend Title 22, Division 2 - Definitions, Chapter 22.14, to update current definitions related to ground-mounted and structure-mounted utility-scale solar, small-scale solar energy system, small-scale wind energy system, and temporary meteorological towers, and to add definitions for a battery energy storage system and green hydrogen production facility;
· Amend Title 22, Division 3 - Zones, to update use regulations for new and existing renewable energy systems and technologies;
· Amend Title 22, Division 7 - Standards for Specific Uses, Section 22.140.510 – Renewable Energy, to update or establish permitting processes for new and existing renewable energy systems, facilities, and technologies;
· Amend Title 22, Division 11 - Specific Plans, Chapter 22.414 - West Carson Transit-Oriented District Specific Plan, to update use regulations for existing renewable energy systems and technologies consistent with updates in Division 3;
· Amend, Title 22, Division 11 - Specific Plans, Chapter 22.418 - Florence-Firestone Transit-Oriented District Specific Plan, to update use regulations for existing renewable energy systems and technologies consistent with updates in Division 3; and
· Amend the Antelope Valley Area Plan to remove prohibition of ground-mounted utility-scale renewable energy production facilities within Economic Opportunity Areas.
POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT. As permitted by CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(d), the County decided not to prepare an Initial Study and will begin work directly on the Draft Program EIR because it has determined that an EIR is required for the project. In accordance with Section 15126 of the State CEQA Guidelines, the Program EIR will assess the physical changes to the environment that would likely result from the project. The Program EIR will evaluate potentially significant environmental effects of the project, identify feasible mitigation measures that may lessen or avoid such impacts, and identify a range of reasonable alternatives to the project.
As discussed above, the project consists of a zoning ordinance update and does not propose any project-level development. However, the project defines and codifies development standards for new technologies and updates procedures and standards for reviewing and permitting existing technologies. Although renewable energy uses are currently permitted and operate throughout the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County under existing conditions, the Program EIR will analyze potential environmental impacts associated with future construction and operation of new renewable energy facilities, including utility-scale battery energy storage facilities, as defined and regulated under the project. Thus, the Program EIR will analyze all environmental resources required by CEQA and will identify mitigation measures if necessary to reduce potentially significant impacts of the project. Environmental topics to be addressed include the following: Aesthetics; Agriculture and Forestry Resources; Air Quality; Biological Resources; Cultural Resources; Energy; Geology and Soils; Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards and Hazardous Materials; Hydrology and Water Quality; Land Use and Planning; Mineral Resources; Noise; Population and Housing; Public Services; Recreation; Transportation; Tribal Cultural Resources; Utilities and Service; and Wildfire.
Notice of Public Scoping Meeting
The County will conduct a virtual public scoping meeting for the purpose of soliciting oral and written comments from interested parties as to the appropriate scope and content of the Program EIR. All interested parties are invited to attend the meeting to assist in identifying issues to be addressed in the Program EIR. The meeting will include a brief presentation of the project to be addressed in the Program EIR and will provide attendees with an opportunity to provide input to the scope of the Program EIR. The meeting will be held on Zoom on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.
Participants may join the meeting online or by phone.
Online: https://planning-lacounty-gov.zoom.us/j/84018196971
Phone: (669) 900-6833, (669) 444-9171, or find your local number: https://planning-lacounty-gov.zoom.us/u/kdJSe85tk
Webinar ID: 840 1819 6971
Interpretation will be available in Spanish and Mandarin. If you require additional language services or ADA accommodations, please contact us at least seven business days in advance by emailing lacuna@planning.lacounty.gov.
Public Review Period
The 45-day public comment period for the NOP begins on August 3, 2026 and ends on September 17, 2026. Any comments provided should identify specific topics of environmental concern and your reason for suggesting the study of these topics in the Program EIR.
Though email is the preferred form of communication, you may direct your written comments via email, and/or U.S. Postal Services to:
Department of Regional Planning
Attention: Community Studies North Section
320 W. Temple Street, 13th Floor
Los Angles, CA 90012
Email: RenewableEnergy@Planning.lacounty.gov
All written responses will be appended to the Program EIR and their Contents considered in accordance with State and County environmental guidelines.
Document Availability
The NOP and proposed Draft Renewable Energy Ordinance is available for public review on the Department of Regional Planning's website at:
planning.lacounty.gov/long-range-planning/reo-update/documents/
Este documento está disponible en español en el sitio web del proyecto. Para obtener más información, puede comunicarse con nosotros al (213) 974-6476 o visitar el sitio web del proyecto en https://planning.lacounty.gov/long-range-planning/reo-update/.
該文件可在專案網站上取得中文版本
如需了解更多信息，您可以致電 (213) 974-6476 聯繫我們，或訪問專案網站
https://planning.lacounty.gov/long-range-planning/reo-update/.
Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning | 320 W. Temple St. | Los Angeles , CA 90012 US