Chino, CA Landscaping Rules: Artificial Turf (2026)
Key Facts
- Allowed
- yes, citywide
- Coverage cap
- 30% of required landscape
- Must pair with
- live plant material
- Banned substitute
- plain plastic/nylon carpeting
- Adopted
- Ord. 2015-008; amended Ord. 2016-005
Summary
Chino allows artificial turf in landscaped yards, but caps it at 30% of required landscape coverage and demands lifelike blades, proper drainage, and city plan-check review.
D.The use of artificial turf is permitted within the City of Chino. Any installation of artificial turf shall comply with section 20.19.040.B. ...g.Artificial turf may be used to satisfy up to thirty percent of the minimum landscape coverage required for a project.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Chino Municipal Code § 20.19.020(D) affirmatively permits artificial turf citywide, provided any installation complies with the design standards in § 20.19.040(B)(4). Those standards require turf that consists of lifelike individual blades emulating real grass, a proper drainage system underneath to stop runoff or pooling, and installation combined with actual plant material such as trees, shrubs, and groundcover. Turf may satisfy up to 30% of a project's required landscape coverage, subject to director of community development approval, but plain plastic or nylon outdoor carpeting used as a stand-in for turf is expressly prohibited, and artificial turf doesn't count toward the landscape area when calculating maximum applied water allowance.
Violations & Fines
Installing plastic or nylon carpeting instead of lifelike synthetic grass, skipping the required drainage layer, or exceeding the 30% landscape-coverage cap without director of community development sign-off puts a project out of compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is artificial turf legal in a Chino front yard?
Can I lay down basic plastic outdoor carpeting instead of synthetic grass?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino
How Chino compares: Most Artificial Turf-Friendly Cities·California rules heatmap·Compare Chino to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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Artificial Turf in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle artificial turf.