Chino Hills, CA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Storage cap
- 2,000 gallons water capacity per installation
- Applies to
- Heavily populated/congested areas citywide
- Hazard override
- Fire official can apply cap anywhere
- Governing code
- CFC §6104.2 via CHMC §8.10.050(D)
- Enforcing agency
- Chino Valley Independent Fire District
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
Chino Hills' local Fire Code amendment at Municipal Code § 8.10.050(D) restricts liquefied petroleum gas storage under CFC § 6104.2, capping any single LP-gas installation at 2,000 gallons of water capacity in heavily populated or congested areas, and lets the fire code official apply the same 2,000-gallon cap anywhere the storage location would otherwise create a hazard.
D. Establishment of geographical limits of districts in which storage of liquefied petroleum gas is to be restricted. The limits referred to in Section 6104.2 of the 2025 California Fire Code in which storage is restricted are established as: 1. Heavily populated or congested areas, the aggregate capacity of any one installation shall not exceed a water capacity of 2,000 gallons (7570 L). 2. All areas, when in the opinion of the fire code official the location of storage would create a hazard to occupants or property owners, the aggregate capacity of any one installation shall not exceed a water capacity of 2,000 gallons.
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
050(D). In heavily populated or congested areas of Chino Hills, the aggregate water capacity of any one LP-gas installation cannot exceed 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters). The same 2,000-gallon ceiling applies anywhere in the city wherever the fire code official determines that the location of the storage would create a hazard to occupants or property owners, so the restriction is not limited to a mapped district; it can be applied on a case-by-case hazard finding to any residential or commercial property. 2, unless the fire code official issues written approval.
010, and the Chino Valley Independent Fire District's fire code official, referred to in the code as the Fire Marshal, administers permits for propane installations and can approve storage above these thresholds in writing where warranted. Residential propane tanks used for household appliances such as barbecues or portable heaters that stay well under the 2,000-gallon cap do not require this hazard-based written approval, but any bulk residential or commercial LP-gas tank approaching that capacity needs Fire District sign-off before installation.
Violations & Fines
Storing liquefied petroleum gas above the 2,000-gallon cap without the fire code official's written approval is a Fire Code violation enforceable by the Chino Valley Independent Fire District, and a Municipal Code violation under § 1.36.010 punishable as a misdemeanor of up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or through a Chapter 1.18 administrative citation with its own fine schedule and lien authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much propane can I store on my property in Chino Hills?
Can Chino Hills restrict propane storage outside the designated congested areas?
Who enforces the propane storage limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California fire regulations overview
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