ACLT Supports Proposal, AO-2025-114, to Match the Municipal Code to the State of Alaska’s Code

Last year, the State of Alaska passed legislation to create an exemption from permitting and inspection requirements for producers of cottage food products, and to eliminate the previous $25,000 cap on sales (HB251). The Anchorage Assembly is currently considering a proposal, AO-2025-114, to match the Municipal code to the State of Alaska’s new code, and is seeking public input. Anchorage Community Land Trust (ACLT) supports this proposed repeal of the Municipality’s current cottage food regulations to bring it in line with State of Alaska standards.

ACLT works daily with emerging and small-scale food businesses through our entrepreneur development program, Set Up Shop. Set Up Shop provides a pipeline of training and support for early-stage entrepreneurs looking to grow. More than 60% of our close to 600 clients are involved in food-based industries. The cottage food license has been a burden for early-stage small businesses trying to launch and grow.

Many food businesses start with just an idea around a kitchen table, and are launched and grown out of home kitchens. Existing license requirements currently restrict the types of cottage food products business owners can make and sell from home, and also require sales to remain below $25,000 per year. If a business owner wants to grow their cottage food sales above that figure, which most wanting to operate their business as a full-time source of income would, they are required to operate out of a permitted commercial kitchen space. ACLT knows from many years of research, development, and first-hand experience from our clients that Anchorage simply does not have permitted kitchen space that is affordable or available. This means that our city is full of food businesses ready and waiting to scale and grow but unable to do so with current regulations.

We are grateful to the Assembly for putting forth this proposal, and it is something that ACLT has advocated for for many years. The repeal of these requirements represents another step forward in ACLT’s long-standing partnership with the Municipality to make it easier for businesses to launch and grow. By reducing unnecessary paperwork, regulation, and fees, we can save critical time and money for early-stage entrepreneurs and remove barriers to their launch and growth across our city.

The Anchorage Assembly will be considering this proposal at it’s upcoming meeting this Tuesday, November 4th, at the Loussac Library, with time for members of the public to provide testimony. If you support this proposal, we want YOU to make your voice heard! To join ACLT in supporting this proposal, you can show up in-person to the Assembly meeting and give spoken testimony during the public hearing, or you can email Assembly Members directly at assembly@anchorageak.gov to give written feedback instead.