Montgomery County, Maryland is the latest municipality to approve an agricultural tax credit to to create incentives for agricultural uses in urban areas.
"The [Montgomery] County Council unanimously passed a bill March 7 that would grant a tax credit to certain properties that qualify as urban farms," reports Mike Diegel.
"The bill applies to properties ranging in size from one-half acre to less than three acres that are also located in or within 1,000 feet of a Metro Station Policy Area. The property must also be used for at least two of three urban agricultural purposes," explains Diegel.
The need for the new tax credit came about after a councilmember caught wind of a small farm in Silver Spring, which was ineligible for an agricultural tax credit. It follows from that example that the new tax credit encourages urban agriculture. Diegel notes that the Montgomery County Council modeled their tax break on similar legislation in Baltimore, Washington D.C., Seattle, and San Francisco. Local efforts to provide incentives for urban agriculture in California followed from a 2013 state law that allowed Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones.
FULL STORY: Council Passes Tax Credit for Urban Farms
Urban Farming Addressing Hunger (and More) in Pittsburgh
Urban farming provides opportunities to increase food security in addition to other benefits.
New Tax Credit for Urban Farming in Missouri
Urban farmers in Missouri can receive up to $5,000 in tax credits to establish or expand their operations.
'Neighborhood Defenders' and the Suburban Status Quo
A tour de force of reporting documents the efforts of suburban Maryland residents to oppose new developments in their neighborhoods.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service