Chino Hills, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Chino Hills, CA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Ch. 15.12, Floodplain Damage Prevention
- Permit trigger
- Any construction in a mapped SFHA
- Floodplain Administrator
- City Engineer
- Maps used
- FEMA FIRM/FIS, revised 1-17-1997
- Violation
- Misdemeanor under § 15.12.080
- Appeals
- City Council, § 15.12.160
Summary
Any construction or land change within a Chino Hills special flood hazard area needs a development permit before work starts, under Municipal Code § 15.12.130, and building or altering structures there without following the chapter's floodplain rules is a misdemeanor under § 15.12.080.
A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development begins within any area of special flood hazard established in Article III, Section 15.12.070. Application for a development permit shall be made on forms furnished by the Floodplain Administrator and may include, but not be limited to: plans in duplicate drawn to scale showing the nature, location, dimensions, and elevation of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities, and the location of the foregoing.
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
070. 140, and must include a site plan with spot ground elevations, proposed water, sewer and utility locations, the base flood elevation where available, and foundation design details showing the proposed lowest-floor elevation in relation to mean sea level. 080 backs the permit requirement with a compliance mandate: no structure or land can be constructed, located, extended, converted or altered without full compliance with the chapter, and violating the requirements, including any conditions or safeguards attached to a permit, is a misdemeanor. The Floodplain Administrator reviews every development permit to confirm the site is reasonably safe from flooding and that the project will not raise the base flood elevation more than one foot where a floodway has not yet been designated. The ordinance originates from Ord. No. 191 § 1 (2006) and was updated by Ord. No. 384 (2022) and Ord. No. 160.
Violations & Fines
Constructing, altering or filling land in a mapped special flood hazard area without a development permit, or violating any permit condition, is a misdemeanor under § 15.12.080. The City Council may also take other lawful action to prevent or remedy a violation, and floodway encroachments without engineering no-rise certification are prohibited outright under § 15.12.220.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a city permit to build in a Chino Hills flood zone?
Who administers Chino Hills' floodplain rules?
What happens if I build in a flood hazard area without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle flood zones.