Chino, CA Environmental Rules: Grading & Drainage (2026)

Chino Building & Safety / Engineering issues grading permits under CBC Appendix J. Typical permit triggers: any project moving 50+ cubic yards of earth, disturbing 5,000+ sq ft of soil, creating cuts or fills over a few feet in depth, or affecting drainage to adjacent parcels. Submittal package includes a grading plan stamped by a licensed civil engineer (for projects above small thresholds), drainage calculations, erosion/sediment control plan, and — for priority projects — a Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP). Cut and fill slopes generally cannot be steeper than 2:1 (horizontal:vertical) without engineered analysis. Drainage must direct runoff to approved outlets (street gutter, storm drain inlet, on-site detention, or master-planned channel) — concentrating runoff onto a neighboring lot is a civil and code violation. New development in The Preserve specific-plan area (Subarea 2, southeast Chino) ties into master-planned basins added in 2003. Properties draining toward Chino Creek, San Antonio Channel, or Cypress Channel must coordinate with San Bernardino County Flood Control District facilities. California Civil Code §831 and the common-law 'reasonable use' rule on surface waters limit what an upstream owner can change. Drainage fees may apply under the Drainage Master Plan financing program.