Chino Hills Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 1, 2026

Overview

Chino Hills regulates land use through the Chino Hills Development Code (commonly called Title 16), which implements the General Plan and establishes zone districts, development standards, design review, and permit paths for everything from single‑family homes to mixed‑use and industrial projects. The Code’s organizational spine is a set of chapters that define the district map and the rules for each district (use lists, setbacks, height, parking), supplements (design guidelines, hillside rules, specific‑plan process), and administrative/permit chapters that describe how discretionary and ministerial approvals are processed. See the Code’s short title and authority at § 16.02.010 and § 16.02.020 .

This page is an orienting road‑map to the Chino Hills rules (where to look in Title 16), the district families, citywide standards (setbacks/height/parking/coverage), the Code’s major discretionary/ministerial permits, important specific plans/overlay regimes, and how key California housing laws (ADU, SB 9, density bonus) are reflected in the local code.

How Chino Hills's code is organized

• Title: the local zoning/development rules are collected in the Chino Hills Development Code (Title 16); legal authority and purpose statements are at § 16.02.010 and § 16.02.020 .
• Zoning map & districts live in Chapter 16.04; the Zoning Map is adopted by reference and the list of district abbreviations is in § 16.04.010 (full district list) .
• The Code groups rules by topic (examples you’ll consult frequently):
  • General development standards (yards, projections, lot standards): Chapter 16.06 (see § 16.06.010 for intent and § 16.06.070 for permitted projections into setbacks) .
  • Residential district standards and the principal development tables (Table 20‑1 and related exhibits) are in Chapter 16.10, including detailed development tables (e.g., § 16.10.030 and attached Table 20‑1) .
  • Housing priority zones (newer higher‑density/mixed housing districts) are collected in Chapter 16.15 (see § 16.15.030 and § 16.15.040 for the MUH/UHDH/VHDH/MDH rules) .
  • Planned Development (PD) is its own chapter (Chapter 16.20, including how PDs are established and that PD documents are incorporated by reference) — see § 16.20.010 and § 16.20.020 .
  • Specific plans and how they’re adopted/amended: Chapter 16.64 (minimum content and process; § 16.64.010 and § 16.64.020) .
  • Administrative/permit chapters (zone changes, variances, minor use permits, site plan, design review, zoning clearances, temporary uses) are grouped in Chapters 16.58–16.80; for example, zoning clearance (ministerial) is in § 16.79.010 and Minor Use/Temporary Use/Conditional Use permit procedures are in Chapters 16.78/16.80/16.68 respectively .

Quick navigation tip: start with the district in § 16.04.010 to identify the district abbreviation, then go to the chapter for that district (for example, residential tables in Chapter 16.10) for the district’s development table and permitted uses (Appendix A contains the full use matrix) .

Zoning district families (what the abbreviations mean)

The Code defines a comprehensive set of districts; the list is in § 16.04.010. Major families, with the Code’s abbreviations, include:

• Residential (single‑ and multi‑family): R‑A, R‑R, R‑S, RM‑1, RM‑2, RM‑3 — with density/lot/height rules in § 16.10.030 (Table 20‑1) .
• Housing priority / higher‑density housing types: MDH, MUH, UHDH, VHDH — described in Chapter 16.15 (see § 16.15.030 and the development standards tables) and including explicit densities and standards (e.g., MUH densities and Tables 4–5) .
  • Example bolded standards: MUH residential density range 30–47 du/ac (minimum 20 du/ac required) and maximum building height 80 ft in the MUH tables — see the MUH provisions in § 16.15.040 and associated tables .
• Commercial / Mixed‑use: C‑N, C‑F, MU, C‑O, C‑G, C‑R; mixed use district standards are in Chapter 16.13 (see § 16.13.040) .
• Employment / industrial: BP (Business Park), LI (Light Industrial) — development standards and parking cross‑references appear in Chapter 16.14 and Table 30‑1 (see § 16.14.040 and Table 30‑1) .
• Institutional / open space: I‑1, I‑2, PP, OS‑1, OS‑2, and the informational State Park designation — see § 16.04.010 and Chapter 16.18 for open space rules .
• Overlays: (FR1) & (FR2) (Fire Safety Overlays), (GH) (Geologic Hazard), (BR) (Biotic Resources), (SR) (Scenic Resources), (SL) (Small Lot Overlay) — listed alongside districts in § 16.04.010; overlay chapters (for example, Fire Safety) add overlay‑specific requirements (see the Fire Safety & hillside chapters referenced below) .

(When you read a district table, look for the district’s table in Chapter 16.10 or its chapter — the City uses table exhibits (Table 20‑1, Table 2, Table 3, etc.) for the numeric standards.) See Table 20‑1 (residential) and Table 2/3 (UHDH/VHDH) for concrete setbacks, heights, lot coverage, and required open/landscape areas — see § 16.10.030 and related exhibits .

Citywide development standards (how setbacks / height / FAR / parking work in practice)

This is a high‑level summary of the Code’s recurring controls; cite the local Code sections shown.

• Baseline approach: Chapter 16.06 provides the City’s “general development standards” that apply across districts unless the district table says otherwise; start with § 16.06.010 for intent and § 16.06.070 for allowable projections into setbacks (porches, eaves, low platforms) .
• Residential numeric controls: Exhibit tables (Table 20‑1 and sub‑tables) in § 16.10.030 set the district‑by‑district maximum building heights (commonly 35–42 ft), front/side/rear setbacks, lot coverage limits, and minimum landscape/open space for the residential districts; these tables are the place to find exact numbers for an address or lot type .
  • Example: the R‑S family standard front yard/side/rear patterns and maximum height 35 ft are in Table 20‑1 (see § 16.10.030 and Exhibit A) .
• Housing priority / multifamily standards: UHDH and MUH zones include higher heights and explicit FAR limits (for example UHDH lists FAR 2.25 and heights up to 70–80 ft in its table) — see § 16.15.040 and the UHDH tables for the exact numeric controls .
• Parking: parking requirements are chaptered under Chapter 16.34 (Parking and Loading) and district chapters reference Chapter 16.34 for the applicable ratios; for many residential/mixed uses the district table or Chapter 16.15 cross‑references Chapter 16.34 for the specific spaces per unit or per GFA (guest parking, compact exclusions, ADU replacement rules) — see the cross‑references in § 16.14.050 and § 16.10.060 for how the Code ties district standards to Chapter 16.34 standards .
  • Practical note: ADU parking rules (four‑foot setbacks, 1 parking space unless exempt) and the rule that converting a garage to an ADU does not require replacing those garage spaces are codified in the ADU provisions (see § 16.10.140 excerpts below) .
• FAR / lot coverage: where FAR is used it appears in the Housing Priority chapter (for example UHDH FAR 2.25 in § 16.11/16.15 tables); most single‑family districts use maximum lot coverage percentages in Table 20‑1 (see § 16.10.030) .
• Hillside and grading overlay standards: Chino Hills includes a hillside/visual resources chapter (Chapter 16.08) that imposes hillside‑adaptive building envelopes, special setbacks, and clustering/retention rules for steep sites — see § 16.08.020 and the hillside envelopes in the chapter (height envelopes, maximum retaining wall heights, erosion control language) .
• Design rules: the City requires residential design review and includes non‑residential design guidelines; see § 16.06.130 (design compatibility and when residential design review is required) and Chapter 16.09 (non‑residential design guidelines) for how the Code implements “design” and when design review is required .

Embed internal links for deeper reading:

• For the detailed numeric standards, see development standards in the City’s code: Chino Hills Development Standards.
• For parking specifics consult the City’s Chapter on parking: Chino Hills Parking.
• For design review and the City’s guidelines: Chino Hills Design Review.
• For overlay programs (fire, geologic, biotic, scenic, small lot): Chino Hills Overlay Districts.

Specific plans & overlays (what to watch for)

• Specific plans: Chino Hills uses specific plans for focused, large‑area planning; the process and content-minimums are in Chapter 16.64 (minimum 5‑acre size, pre‑application meeting and Government Code content requirements are called out in § 16.64.010–.020) .
• Planned Development (PD): PD districts allow site‑specific flexibility; PDs are established and incorporated by reference (existing PDs are listed in § 16.20.020 and PD documents are on file with Community Development — see § 16.20.010–.030) .
• Overlays: the Code lists (FR1)/(FR2) Fire Safety, (GH) Geologic Hazard, (BR) Biotic Resources, (SR) Scenic Resources, (SL) Small Lot Overlay in § 16.04.010; overlay chapters (e.g., Fire Hazard rules in Chapter 16.22 and hillside Chapter 16.08) modify base standards in affected areas (setbacks, building separations, fire resistive design) .
• Small Lot Overlay: callout references (Chapter 16.32) apply alternative minimum project/lot standards for small‑lot design — see the small lot overlay references in Table notes in § 16.10.030 .

Also review: the Code incorporates the City Landscape Manual and Appendix F Objective Design Standards as mandatory references for landscaping and objective design criteria (see the cross‑references in the MUH and UHDH tables) .

Building permits & review: ministerial vs discretionary paths

• Ministerial / objective approvals:
  • Zoning Clearance (ministerial check that the project is allowed and meets standards): § 16.79.010 defines the zoning clearance as a ministerial permit; approval criteria and timing are in § 16.79.040‑.070 .
  • ADUs that meet the Code’s objective ADU rules are processed as ministerial building/zoning permits per the ADU chapter (see § 16.10.140 for ADU design/size/setback/parking rules) .
• Discretionary reviews:
  • Site Plan approval and major projects in Housing Priority or PD districts are discretionary (Planning Commission review) — see § 16.15.050 (housing priority Site Plan authority) and cross reference to Chapter 16.76 for Site Plan procedures (notice/findings/appeal) .
  • Minor Use Permit and Conditional Use Permits follow Chapters 16.78 and 16.68; appeals are to the Planning Commission under § 16.58.060 procedures .
• Practical permit path (how a typical building permit flows):
  1. Pre‑application meeting as required for specific plans or some discretionary permits (e.g., § 16.64.020 for specific plans) .
  2. Determine required approvals: zoning clearance (ministerial) vs site plan/minor use/conditional (discretionary) — zoning clearance scope in § 16.79.010 and applicability in § 16.79.015 .
  3. Concurrent building‑permit review: the Building Official enforces Title 15/Title 24 (California Building Standards) for construction details; the Code ties plan review to these standards (see § 16.11.050 plan‑review cross‑reference to Title 15) .
  4. Environmental review (CEQA) is applied if required — Code cross‑references CEQA in § 16.02.050 .

Quick references (local permit chapters): § 16.79.010 (zoning clearance) ; § 16.78.050‑.070 (minor use permit timing & appeal) ; § 16.80.010 (temporary use permit) .

State housing law in Chino Hills — what the local code does (ADU, SB 9, density bonus, rent controls)

Chino Hills’ Development Code explicitly implements several state housing rules and local procedures. Below are the practical takeaways and the controlling local citations.

ADUs & JADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units / Junior ADUs)

• ADUs are expressly allowed in residential and mixed‑use zones and the Code references a detailed ADU section (see the ADU rules at CHMC Section 16.10.140) — the permissive cross‑reference appears in § 16.10.020 and the detailed standards (size limits, setbacks, parking exemptions, conversion/garage replacement rules, height) are codified in § 16.10.140 (ADU maximum sizes, 4‑ft side/rear setbacks, maximum detached ADU height 18 ft in many instances, parking exemptions and replacement rules) .
  • Example technical points from the local ADU rules: maximum ADU sizes (e.g., 850 sf for a 1‑bed ADU/ 1,000 sf for units >1 bedroom in some provisions); setbacks: 4 ft side/rear for ADUs/JADUs; ADU parking exemptions in qualifying locations (within 1/2 mile of transit, within the primary structure, on‑street permit areas, or car‑share proximity) — see § 16.10.140 for the full list and objective design standards .
  • The Code also confirms that when a garage is converted to an ADU, the City will not require replacement of those garage spaces (the primary dwelling becomes legal nonconforming as to parking) — see the ADU text that cross‑references Chapter 16.34 for replacement rules (parking replacement exception) .

Link for local ADU policy background: Chino Hills ADUs. Also see the state standards summarized (California ADU law) here: California ADU law.

SB 9 / Urban Lot Splits and two‑unit ministerial development

• Chino Hills added an Urban Lot Split / SB 9 implementation section that authorizes urban lot splits and housing developments with up to two units consistent with Government Code §§ 65852.21 and 66411.7. The Code lists thresholds, ineligibility areas, minimum parcel/lot sizes, and the objective site standards that apply to SB 9 projects (including minimum lot size/approximate equal size rule, 1,200 sf minimum per resulting lot, 4‑ft side and rear setbacks, 1 off‑street parking space per unit subject to the usual transit/car‑share exemptions, and limits on demolition or tenant displacement) — these rules are contained in the Code’s urban lot split / SB 9 provisions (see the Code text for the urban lot split / SB 9 criteria and site standards; the Code identifies ineligible areas, required owner occupancy affidavits, and parking/setback exceptions) .
  • Practical note: the local SB 9 regime requires an owner‑occupancy affidavit in some cases (three‑year occupancy) and applies objective setbacks/parking/lot‑size rules; the Code also creates mapped “ineligibility areas” for public‑safety or resource protection where SB 9 development is not allowed — see the urban lot split provisions and figure references in the Code excerpt .

(If you are evaluating an SB 9 application, read the local urban lot split section in the Code carefully and consult the City map for the SB 9 ineligibility overlay; the Code’s urban lot split text lists the objective standards and allowed exemptions.) The Code integrates these rules with parking references to Chapter 16.34 for required parking dimensions and exemptions .

Density bonus (state density bonus law implementation)

• Chino Hills has a density‑bonus implementation and calculation section that follows the Government Code methodology and sets the local findings/process for waivers and incentive calculations; see the local density bonus calculation and waiver language in the housing/density chapter (the Code includes a table that maps percentage of affordable units to percentage density bonus and explains calculation/waiver mechanics) — see the density bonus computation language and waiver limits (see the Code’s housing chapter for the detailed density‑bonus tables and the local implementation rules) .
  • Example: the Code’s density bonus table and the calculation mechanics (how percent affordable maps to percent bonus) are included in the housing chapter (see the Code’s density bonus sub‑sections and tables) .

Rent control / tenant protections

• The Development Code explicitly references state law limitations on local rent control / affordability covenants when determining ineligibility for SB 9 (it refers to state covenanted affordable housing and locally controlled rent‑restricted properties as ineligible for SB 9 subdivisions). The Code does not establish a local rent‑control regime in Title 16; where the Code limits demolition or tenant displacement it cross‑references state protections for certain units and conditions that would make a parcel ineligible for ministerial subdivision (SB 9) (see the urban lot split eligibility criteria) .

For state law interplay generally, the Code repeatedly cross‑references Government Code and relevant state sections where City rules implement ministerial/ objective housing pathways (for example, specific plan content requirements reference Government Code Sections 65451–65452 in § 16.64.020) .

Important internal links for state/building code context:

• ADUs and state ADU law: Chino Hills ADUs and California ADU law.
• State building standards: the Code expects compliance with the California Building Code / Title 24 — consult California Building Standards Code and local plan‑check requirements (see § 16.11.050 cross‑reference) .

Source References

• Chino Hills Development Code — Title 16 (General Provisions; short title and authority): § 16.02.010, § 16.02.020 .
• Zoning districts established and map adoption: § 16.04.010 and § 16.04.020 (district list & zoning map) .
• General development standards (setbacks/projections): § 16.06.010 and § 16.06.070 (general standards & permitted projections) .
• Residential district tables / development standards: § 16.10.030 (Table 20‑1 and notes) .
• Housing Priority Zoning Districts (MUH/UHDH/VHDH/MDH numeric tables & Site Plan requirements): § 16.15.030, § 16.15.040, § 16.15.050 .
• Planned Development district (PD) intent and PD list: § 16.20.010 and § 16.20.020 .
• Specific Plan adoption and amendment requirements: § 16.64.010 – § 16.64.050 .
• Site Plan / discretionary review cross‑references: § 16.76 referenced from § 16.15.050 (Site Plan requirement) .
• Zoning clearance (ministerial) and administrative permit rules: § 16.79.010 and § 16.79.040‑.080 (zoning clearance criteria, timing, appeals) .
• Minor use permit and time/appeal details: Chapter 16.78 (see § 16.78.050‑.070) .
• Mixed Use district & MU standards: Chapter 16.13 and § 16.13.040 (mixed‑use development standards) .
• Parking cross‑references: Chapter 16.34 (parking & loading) and district cross‑references in § 16.14.050 and others for where to find required ratios (see § 16.14.050 and district tables that cite Chapter 16.34) .
• Hillside & adaptive hillside development: Chapter 16.08 (hillside design, adaptive envelopes) — see § 16.08.020 and hillside building envelope rules and exceptions .
• ADUs: CHMC ADU provisions and objective ADU standards: § 16.10.140 (ADU size, setbacks, parking, design standards) .
• SB 9 / Urban Lot Split controls and objective SB 9 site standards: urban lot split & SB 9 criteria and site standards (see the urban lot split / SB 9 provisions in the Development Code excerpts) — see the Code excerpts on urban lot split/SB 9 criteria and site standards (urban lot split section) .
• Density bonus calculations and waiver rules (local implementation tables): housing/density bonus language and tables in the housing chapter (see Code tables and calculations) .

Information Gaps / Verification items

• The Code excerpts provided above are extensive; if you need the exact table cell for a single lot (for example the precise front setback for a specific R‑S tract with a local tract‑level variance), consult the applicable Exhibit/Table in § 16.10.030 and Appendix E (tract‑specific notes) or contact City Community Development for PD documents (PDs are incorporated by reference and maintained in the Community Development Department) — see § 16.20.020 for PD incorporation by reference .
• For SB 9 urban lot split mapping (the Code references a Figure 20‑3 in its SB 9 rules), verify the map location in the City’s zoning maps/figures or confirm with the Community Development Department (the Code text creates “ineligibility areas” shown in the Figure) .