Long Beach is crafting two new programs that would encourage more urban farms to crop up in vacant lots across the city.

The first step in the process involves laying out a local framework for an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones program, which would grant tax breaks to property owners who lease vacant lots for small-scale agricultural uses.

The second deals with creating a vacant lot registry that would track how property owners care for empty lots. Some 618 properties have been determined eligible for the registry. The goal is to maintenance standards and routine inspections as part of a larger effort to curb negative impacts tied to empty and often blighted lots.

Vice Mayor Rex Richardson said the idea behind introducing the programs together is to take a “carrot and stick” approach by connecting eligible property owners to local farming organizations.

“The hope is that the two of these work together,” Richardson said. “That would be a win-win for everybody.”

Should landowners commit to the program for at least five years, they would see property tax breaks and have a tenant responsible for upkeep.

The City Council asked the city attorney to draft the two ordinances and bring them back to council for approval in the near future.

A handful of large cities across the state have adopted similar programs in recent years, following the 2013 passage of Assembly Bill 551, or the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act. The state law authorizes cities and counties to encourage landowners to allow small-scale farming on vacant lots. Under the program, a landowner’s property tax would be assessed on the agricultural value of the land rather than the full market value.

Long Beach began working to form a local program in 2016, shortly after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance for all unincorporated areas and authorized the county’s 88 cities to establish their own programs.

On average, produce purchased in Los Angeles County travels some 1,500 miles before consumption. Studies show that localizing food sources can help reduce miles traveled while increasing community resilience to climate change impacts.

About a dozen people urged the council to support the proposed programs on Tuesday. Among them was Primal Alchemy owner Dana Buchanan, who explained how urban farms could help alleviate local supply and demand issues for restaurateurs. To fuel her organic catering company, Buchanan said she traverses a handful of farmer’s markets each week for fresh produce.

Speaking on behalf of herself and three others was Laura Som, who founded the MAYE Center, a nonprofit that promotes self-healing through gardening, meditation, yoga and other practices. Som, and many she works with at the center, are Cambodian refugees who fled their homeland during the reign of the Khmer Rouge.

“Many members of our community suffer from trauma, but they also suffer from illnesses that could be prevented with better nutrition,” she said.

Som told officials the center has identified several properties that they would like to transform into urban gardens, providing fresh produce for a community that lacks access to grocery stores and farmers markets.

In introducing the item to officials, City Sustainability Coordinator Larry Rich explained how converting vacant lots can cultivate community benefits, including more green space and recreational and educational opportunities, as well as promoting food access and public health.