On February 29, 2016, a proposal to create an incentive for owners to set aside vacant property in San Diego, California for urban agriculture was approved by the City Council on a 7-0 vote.
Under the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone program, property owners will be allowed to enter into contracts at least five years long with the city and county of San Diego.
These contracts would allow their vacant, unimproved or blighted land to be used for agricultural uses, like community gardens.
The landowner would benefit, in return, when a piece of property is assessed using the per-acre value of irrigated cropland in California, which would be lower than a normal assessment.