Chino Hills, CA Landscaping Rules: Grass Height Limits (2026)

Unlike many cities, Chino Hills does not publish a specific maximum turf-grass height (such as a fixed inch limit) for ordinary front-lawn maintenance. Instead, tall, dry, or dead grass and weeds are treated as a fire-fuel and nuisance issue under the City's Weed Abatement program. The City states that homeowners must finish cutting weeds on their property by May 15 each year, and that the work is required pursuant to the Chino Valley Independent Fire District's code to create a buffer or fuel-modification zone between structures and open space. Weed abatement typically begins before fire season in April and continues through July. The City operates the program under the direct supervision of the Chino Valley Fire District and, for City-owned land, partners with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Glen Helen work-release crews. Properties in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones face additional defensible-space clearance under California Government Code and CVFD Ordinance 2022-01. Because grass height is folded into fire-safety vegetation rules rather than a standalone code number, residents in hillside and wildland-interface areas should treat the May 15 deadline and Fire District clearance standards as the operative requirement.