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Chino Hills, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing table
§16.10.030, Table 20-1(A)
R-S front setback
20 ft min / 22 ft avg
R-A/R-R front & rear
25 feet
RM-2/RM-3 rear setback
10 feet
Collector street side
25 feet, all districts

Summary

Chino Hills sets front, side, and rear yard setback minimums by residential zoning district in Development Code section 16.10.030, Table 20-1(A). A single-family home in the R-S district needs a 20-foot average front setback and a 15-foot rear setback, while the more spacious R-A district requires 25 feet on the front and rear and 20 feet on the interior side yard.

H. Minimum Front Yard Setback (d): Primary structure 25 ft. [R-A] 25 ft. [R-R] 20 ft. min.; 22 ft. avg. (e) [R-S] 25 ft. [RM-1] 25 ft. [RM-2] 20 ft. [RM-3]. Garage 25 ft. / 25 ft. / 19 ft. min.; 21 ft. avg. (e) / 25 ft. / 25 ft. / 20 ft. ... I. Minimum Side Yard Setback: (d) Collector or Larger Street Side 25 ft. (all districts). Local Street Side 15 ft. / 15 ft. / 15 ft. / 20 ft. / 20 ft. / 20 ft. Other Side 20 ft. / 20 ft. / 7 ft. min. and an Aggregate of 20 ft. per lot (f) / 10 ft. / 10 ft. / 10 ft. J. Minimum Rear Yard Setback (d) 25 ft. / 25 ft. / 15 ft. / 15 ft. / 10 ft. / 10 ft.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).

Full Breakdown

030, is the master dimensional standards table for Chino Hills' six residential zoning districts: R-A, R-R, R-S, RM-1, RM-2, and RM-3. For the front yard, R-A and R-R require a 25-foot setback for both the primary structure and the garage; R-S requires a 20-foot minimum with a 22-foot average for the primary structure and a 19-foot minimum with a 21-foot average for the garage, and a note explains that front setbacks on adjacent R-S lots must vary by at least two feet so no two neighboring homes share the identical setback.

Side yard setbacks depend on which side of the lot is involved: a collector-or-larger street side needs 25 feet in every residential district, a local street side needs 15 feet in R-A, R-R, and R-S but 20 feet in the RM districts, and an interior side yard runs from 20 feet in R-A and R-R down to a 7-foot minimum with a 20-foot aggregate per lot in R-S, and just 10 feet in RM-1 through RM-3. Rear yard setbacks range from 25 feet in R-A and R-R down to 15 feet in R-S and RM-1, and 10 feet in RM-2 and RM-3.

22. These figures apply to standard subdivided lots; the R-A and R-R districts also have an alternative clustering standards table under the same section for qualifying properties near the Chino Hills State Park and Carbon Canyon Road.

Violations & Fines

Building a structure inside the required front, side, or rear setback without an approved variance is a Development Code violation under section 16.02.110, treated as a misdemeanor under section 1.36.010 punishable by up to a $1,000 fine or six months in county jail, unless the City designates it an infraction. Because it is a Title 16 standard, section 1.18.060 requires a written compliance order before the City can issue an administrative citation, giving the property owner a chance to correct the encroachment first.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum front yard setback for a single-family home in Chino Hills?
It depends on the zoning district. Table 20-1(A) under Development Code section 16.10.030 sets a 25-foot front setback in the R-A and R-R districts, and a 20-foot minimum with a 22-foot average in the R-S district, where the code also requires adjoining homes to vary their setbacks by at least two feet.
Are side yard setbacks the same on every side of my lot?
No. Table 20-1(A) sets a 25-foot setback for a collector-or-larger street side in every residential district, but the interior side yard is much narrower, running from 20 feet in R-A and R-R down to a 7-foot minimum, with a 20-foot aggregate per lot, in R-S and just 10 feet in the RM-1 through RM-3 multi-family districts.
Do rear yard setbacks change between single-family and multi-family zones?
Yes. Table 20-1(A) requires a 25-foot rear setback in R-A and R-R, drops to 15 feet in R-S and RM-1, and drops further to 10 feet in the higher-density RM-2 and RM-3 districts, reflecting the smaller lots and higher density the code allows in those zones.

Sources & Official References

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