Chino, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Chino Municipal Code § 8.60.190(C)(1) requires new construction and substantial improvement of any structure in a special flood hazard area to have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to at least one foot above the base flood elevation (BFE): a one-foot freeboard standard. A registered civil engineer or surveyor must certify the elevation, or the city building inspector must verify it, and that certification goes to the floodplain administrator. Nonresidential structures may floodproof instead under § 8.60.190(C)(3). Accessory structures used only for parking or limited storage have a narrower carve-out under § 8.60.190(C)(7)(b). This chapter implements the city's participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.