Assembly adopts ordinance aligning municipal farmland tax incentives with state law

The Anchorage Assembly adopted AO 2025‑62 S on July 15, a narrowed version of a package of tax incentives intended to support farmland, farm structures and urban agriculture. The S version aligns municipal optional tax exemptions with recent state statute language and removes broader items the administration indicated required additional state or home‑rule authority.

Sponsor remarks and intent Assemblymember Martinez, sponsor of the measure, said the S version reflects a practical step to implement incentives that are clearly permitted under state law and cited interest in additional measures — such as fee waivers for farmers markets — for later work, including state advocacy.

Administration capacity and fiscal impact Municipal staff told the assembly they expect the assessor’s office can administer the limited exemption under existing staffing and that early uptake is likely to be small. The assembly approved the S version in a recorded vote.

Why this matters Supporters said the ordinance removes administrative barriers to local agricultural production and aligns municipal law with recent state changes; the narrower approach was framed as an initial step with follow‑up advocacy and additional options to be explored.

Next steps Staff will implement the exemption under the assessor’s office and the administration and sponsor indicated follow‑up work to explore expanded measures subject to state law or home‑rule authority.