Chino | Parking, Setbacks and Height
Chino, California Parking, Setbacks and Height: House Setbacks, Coverage, Floor Area, Second Story Rules, Driveways and the Parking Table
This page covers the size and placement rules for homes in Chino. A setback is the open distance a building must keep from a lot line. Lot coverage is the share of the lot under buildings, and floor area ratio (FAR) is the floor area of the buildings divided by the lot area. These rules decide how much house, ADU or second unit fits on a lot. They come from Title 20 as revised by Ordinance 2026-008, which the City posts as its Zoning Ordinance dated August 2026, and several numbers changed from the older code that Municode still shows. Apartment standards are on the three or more homes page; the Chino overview has the summary.
Chino setbacks and parking in six facts
- Houses in RD 1, RD 2, RD 4.5 and RD 8 may be 2.5 stories and 35 feet tall. Source: Chino Zoning Ordinance, Table 20.201-3
- The front setback is 25 feet in RD 1, RD 2 and RD 4.5 and 20 feet in RD 8. Source: Chino Zoning Ordinance, Table 20.201-3
- Lot coverage may reach 30 percent in RD 1 and RD 2 and 60 percent in RD 4.5 and RD 8, with floor area ratios of 0.30, 0.40, 0.50 and 0.55. Source: Chino Zoning Ordinance, Table 20.201-3
- A house needs two garage spaces, plus one guest space if it has more than 2,250 square feet and two if it has 3,500 or more. Source: Chino Zoning Ordinance, Table 20.511-1
- A new home or addition must be single-story on a lot that directly abuts a lot with an existing single-story home, unless the City grants an exception. Source: Chino Zoning Ordinance 20.201.040(C)(1)(c)
- A city may not set a minimum parking requirement on a project within one-half mile of public transit, unless it makes written findings within 30 days. Source: Government Code 65863.2
Standards for House Lots
| Standard | RD 1 | RD 2 | RD 4.5 | RD 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front setback | 25 ft | 25 ft | 25 ft | 20 ft |
| Rear setback | 25 ft | 25 ft | 10 ft | 15 ft |
| Interior side setback | 10 ft | 10 ft | 10 ft / 5 ft | 5 ft |
| Street side setback | 15 ft | 15 ft | 15 ft | 10 ft |
| Lot coverage, maximum | 30 percent | 30 percent | 60 percent | 60 percent |
| Floor area ratio, maximum | 0.30 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.55 |
| Front yard landscape coverage, minimum | 60 percent | 50 percent | 55 percent | 45 percent |
| Height | 2.5 stories, 35 ft | 2.5 stories, 35 ft | 2.5 stories, 35 ft | 2.5 stories, 35 ft |
Source: Chino Zoning Ordinance Table 20.201-3 (August 2026). The RD 4.5 interior side cell lists both 10 ft. and 5 ft.; the arithmetic below assumes one side of each, so ask the City how it applies the cell.
By VanPlex arithmetic, a 60-foot RD 4.5 lot with side setbacks of 10 and 5 feet leaves 45 feet of building width, and a lot 100 feet deep with a 25-foot front and 10-foot rear setback leaves 65 feet of depth. A 50-foot RD 8 lot with two 5-foot side setbacks leaves 40 feet of width. On a 7,200 square foot RD 4.5 lot, 60 percent coverage is 4,320 square feet; on a 20,000 square foot RD 2 lot, 30 percent is 6,000 square feet.
Section 20.201.040(B) adjusts the table in several cases:
- Arterial streets. "An additional five feet of setback shall be provided along primary and secondary arterial streets", and the rear setback there is at least 20 feet. On reverse corner lots the street side setback may be five feet less than the front setback.
- RD 4.5 subdivisions. In a subdivision of five or more lots, the front setback may drop to 20 feet if the lots average 25 feet, or to 15 feet for a side-entry ("swing-in") garage plan, used on no more than 33 percent of the lots.
- Narrow RD 8 lots. "Within the RD 8 district, lots substandard as to width shall require a four-foot side yard setback."
- Garages. A garage facing a street side yard needs 20 feet from the garage door to the street property line.
- Old side setbacks. A building with a legal nonconforming side setback may be added to if the addition keeps at least the existing side setback.
- Extra parking in front. In RD 4.5 and RD 8, front yard landscaping may drop to 50 and 40 percent to make room for one more parking space, which may sit in the front or corner side setback.
Height and What May Project Into a Setback
Section 20.501.030 lets towers, spires, cupolas, chimneys, elevator penthouses, water tanks, flagpoles and antennas exceed the height limit, but "No portion of a structure that exceeds the height limit shall cover an area greater than 15 percent of the building footprint area." Other structures may go over the limit by 10 feet or less with an administrative approval, and by more than 10 feet only with a site approval by the Planning Commission.
Some parts of a building may extend into a setback. Eaves and similar roof projections may reach four feet into a front or rear yard and two feet six inches into a side yard. Cornices, fireplaces and sills may reach two feet into any yard, and bay windows three feet into a front or rear yard and two feet into a side yard, "however, in no case shall the side yard width be reduced to less than three feet." Open, uncovered stairways and balconies may reach four feet into a front or rear yard.
Second Story Rules
Chino has detailed rules on second stories, aimed at the privacy of neighbors in single-story homes. Section 20.201.040(C) applies to new subdivisions and Section 20.201.040(D) to additions.
- Single-story share. "Where a proposed infill project consists of five or more homes, a minimum of 20 percent of the total number of homes shall be single-story." The code's example: one single-story home for five homes, two for six to ten, three for eleven to fifteen.
- Corner lots. Corner and reverse corner lots get single-story homes, or two-story homes with a single-story part on each street side, at least five feet deep along 60 percent of that side, with a roof plate no higher than 10 feet.
- Next to single-story homes. "New homes and additions to existing homes shall be single-story on lots that directly abut lots with existing single-story homes." The Director or the Planning Commission may grant an exception for a grade difference, distance, how the homes face each other, the lot shape, existing accessory buildings or other site facts, after notice to the neighbors and four findings.
- Spacing. Second floors of two-story homes need a 15-foot clearance at interior sides, and a second-story addition needs 15 feet from the second story of a two-story home next door.
- Additions. "Second-story frontages shall not exceed 60 percent of the width of the first-floor street frontage", and "Second floors shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the first-floor building line." Windows should be placed to limit views into the rear yards of single-story neighbors, and may never give direct views into a neighbor's windows.
- Backing onto a street. Two-story homes that back up to a public street need 36-inch box street trees 30 feet apart along the rear.
These rules matter for SB 9 and ADU projects too. The City caps SB 9 second units at one story, and Table 20.503-1 caps detached ADUs at one story, so in practice the second story rules apply to additions to the main house and to new houses after a lot split. State law limits how far the City may apply its rules to SB 9 units, as the ADUs and SB 9 page explains.
Parking for Houses, Duplexes and ADUs
| Use | Spaces in Table 20.511-1 |
|---|---|
| House | 2 garage spaces; plus 1 uncovered guest space over 2,250 sq ft, or 2 guest spaces at 3,500 sq ft or more |
| Duplex | 2 garage spaces per home plus 1 uncovered guest space; 1 covered space per home under 950 sq ft |
| ADU | 1 covered or uncovered space per dwelling (Chapter 20.503 asks 1 per bedroom; state law caps it at the lesser) |
| SB 9 second primary unit | 1 covered or uncovered space per bedroom (Section 20.201.050(F) says 1 per unit; state law caps it at 1 per unit) |
| Senior housing | 1 covered space per home, 1 guest space per 7 homes, plus staff |
Sources: Chino Zoning Ordinance Table 20.511-1, Section 20.201.050(F) and Section 20.503.020(B)(3); Government Code 66314(d)(10) and 65852.21(c).
Table 20.511-1 sets two garage spaces for each new house. The guest space for a house over 2,250 square feet "may be in the front or street side setback area", and the same rule applies to "expansions of existing residences resulting in 4 or more bedrooms or more than 3,500 square feet of gross floor area." Section 20.511.020(B)(2) covers older houses: when a house without a garage or carport grows by more than 5 percent, or its attached garage becomes living space other than an ADU, a house built on or before May 20, 1965 needs one covered space and a newer house needs "two covered spaces within a garage."
For ADUs and SB 9 units, the City's own sections disagree with its parking table. The table asks one space per ADU and one per bedroom for an SB 9 unit; Chapter 20.503 asks one per ADU bedroom; Section 20.201.050(F) asks one per SB 9 unit. State law caps both. Government Code 66314(d)(10) allows no more than "one parking space per accessory dwelling unit or per bedroom, whichever is less," and 65852.21(c)(1) allows "Offstreet parking of up to one space per unit", with none within one-half mile walking distance of a high-quality transit corridor or major transit stop or within one block of a car share vehicle. The statutes control.
Government Code 65863.2 adds a wider rule: "A public agency shall not impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirement on a residential, commercial, or other development project if the project is located within one-half mile of public transit", unless the city makes written findings within 30 days of a complete application. Ask the City whether a lot is within one-half mile of public transit as that statute defines it.
Driveways and Design of New Houses
Section 20.507.040 sets objective design rules for new single-family homes. "Driveways accessed from streets shall be 20 feet or greater in length, measured from the back of sidewalk to the garage/carport opening." Driveways from alleys must be 5 feet or less or 20 feet or more. A lot taking access from a primary or secondary arterial street needs a circular driveway or another layout that lets cars enter traffic moving forward. "At least 30 percent of the homes shall include a covered entry or porch." New homes use clay or concrete tile roofs with a Class A fire rating, while developments of four or fewer homes may use thirty-year laminated shingles with a Class A rating. New single-family and duplex homes need network data wiring, and every dwelling sits on a permanent perimeter foundation.
What Changed in 2026
| Standard | Municode, Supplement 38 | 2026 code |
|---|---|---|
| Lot coverage, RD 1 and RD 2 | 25 percent | 30 percent |
| Floor area ratio, RD 1 and RD 2 | 0.20 and 0.30 | 0.30 and 0.40 |
| Front yard landscape coverage, RD 1 to RD 8 | 70, 70, 60 and 50 percent | 60, 50, 55 and 45 percent |
| Patio or balcony to another building, RD 12 to RD 20 | 30 ft | 20 ft |
| Density basis | Units per acre | Units per net acre, with minimums from RD 8 to RD 20 |
Sources: Chino Municipal Code Tables 20.04-3 and 20.04-4 (Municode, Supplement 38); Chino Zoning Ordinance Tables 20.201-3 and 20.201-4 (August 2026).
The setbacks and the 35-foot height in the house districts are the same in both versions. A plan drawn from the Municode tables would understate coverage and floor area in RD 1 and RD 2 and overstate the front yard landscaping. Section 4 of Ordinance 2026-008 made the new code effective 30 days after its July 21, 2026 adoption, so plans filed after that date use the 2026 numbers.
Best For
- ✓ RD 4.5 and RD 8 lots, where buildings may cover 60 percent of the lot under a 35-foot height limit.
- ✓ RD 1 and RD 2 lots, where the 2026 code raised coverage to 30 percent and the floor area ratio to 0.30 and 0.40.
- ✓ Garage conversions to ADUs, which need no replacement parking.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ A second story is planned next to a single-story home without asking about an exception.
- ✕ A plan uses the older Municode coverage and landscape numbers.
- ✕ An ADU plan provides parking for every bedroom when state law asks one space at most.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → Whether the lot is within one-half mile of public transit under Government Code 65863.2.
- → Which side of an RD 4.5 lot the City treats as the 5-foot side.
- → Whether the street in front is a primary or secondary arterial, which adds five feet of setback.
Where to Go Next
Related on VanPlex: the Chino overview, the California ADU law page and the California SB 9 page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Chino, California?
What are the setbacks for a house in Chino RD 4.5?
How much of a Chino lot can buildings cover?
Can I add a second story to my Chino house?
When must a new Chino home be single-story?
How many parking spaces does a Chino house need?
Do I have to add parking when I enlarge my Chino house?
How long must a driveway be in Chino?
What changed in Chino setbacks and coverage in 2026?
What roof material must a new Chino home use?
Official sources (checked October 2026)
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