Chino Hills, CA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited near
- Parks, buffers, greenbelts, water bodies, open spaces
- Reference list
- California Invasive Plant Council species list
- Governing section
- CHMC § 16.07.060(A)(2)(h)
- Review authority
- Community Development Director or designee
- Triggering projects
- New landscape ≥500 sq ft, rehab ≥2,500 sq ft
Summary
Chino Hills bars the use of invasive plant species, such as those on the California Invasive Plant Council's list, in landscape designs sited near parks, buffers, greenbelts, water bodies and open spaces. The rule sits inside Chapter 16.07's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance and applies to every qualifying new-construction or rehabilitated landscape project.
The use of invasive plant species, such as those listed by the California Invasive Plant Council [3], is prohibited near parks, buffers, greenbelts, water bodies, and open spaces because of their potential to cause harm in sensitive areas.
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
060(A)(2)(h) of the Chino Hills Municipal Code prohibits the use of invasive plant species, such as those listed by the California Invasive Plant Council, near parks, buffers, greenbelts, water bodies, and open spaces because of their potential to cause harm in sensitive areas. 040). 030). The California Invasive Plant Council list referenced in the ordinance is incorporated by cross-reference rather than reprinted in the code, so an applicant proposing planting near any of the named sensitive locations, a city park, a buffer strip, a greenbelt, a pond, stream or other water body, or designated open space, has to check species against that list before the Director will approve the landscape design plan.
Violations & Fines
A landscape design plan that specifies a listed invasive species near a park, buffer, greenbelt, water body or open space will not be approved under § 16.07.040, and planting installed without approval is a code violation. Under § 1.36.010 and § 1.36.020, violating any provision of Chapter 16.07 is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and six months in county jail, or the city may issue an administrative citation under Chapter 1.18 with fines set by council resolution and a right to administrative and Superior Court review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are invasive plants banned citywide in Chino Hills?
How does the city decide which species are invasive?
What projects have to comply with the invasive species rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California invasive plant rules overview
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle prohibited species.