Sacramento Zoo could be leaving the city of Sacramento. See where it could go
The Sacramento Zoo could be leaving the city of Sacramento.
The Sacramento Zoological Society and the city of Elk Grove entered into an “exclusive negotiating agreement” Thursday to evaluate relocating the Sacramento Zoo from Land Park to Elk Grove, according to a news release from the zoo. That means for the next six months, the zoo will not negotiate with other cities.
“It’s our intention to spend next six months focused solely on this project,” said Elizabeth Stallard, president of the zoo’s board of trustees. “That’s the commitment we’ve made.”
If an agreement is reached in Elk Grove, the new zoo would be located in South Elk Grove at the northwest intersection of Kammerer Road and Lotz Parkway on a 60-acre lot, the release said. The zoning allows for a zoo, with a use permit required from the city’s planning commission. The city of Elk Grove has an option to purchase the property from developer Kamilos Companies. The land is expected to cost Elk Grove between $6.6 and $6.9 million, said Kristyn Laurence, a city spokeswoman.
The lot would be much larger than the current 14.7-acre Land Park location, where it has been for 94 years. The zoo is in danger of losing its accreditation due to outdated habitats.
“After nearly four years of exploring several potential sites in Sacramento without resolution, and as the animal habitats continue to age and the zoo’s accreditation is increasingly at risk, it is critical that the zoo find a new home as soon as possible,” the release said.
A study recommended the zoo move to North Natomas Regional Park, and in December 2020, the City Council was scheduled to take a vote to endorse that site, allowing the zoo to start fundraising. But Mayor Darrell Steinberg delayed the vote so the city could consider other locations, such as the former Sleep Train Arena and Bing Maloney Golf Course. The item has not come back to the council for reconsideration.
Steinberg said he is willing to continue to look for sites for the zoo in the city, but pointed out the city also has other pressing needs.
“The question we must answer as a community and City Council is what magnitude of public resources are necessary to expand the zoo here in Sacramento,” Steinberg said in a statement. “I will place this item on the agenda very quickly so we can have a full council and community discussion about what it would take.”
He said the city is “facing urgent crises” on issues such as affordable housing and priorities for development for “our waterfront, railyards, and neighborhood business corridors.”
“The zoo question ought to be considered in this broader context,” Steinberg said.
Sacramento City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said she was pleased to hear the zoo could be moving to Elk Grove to spread out, even if it means it will no longer be moving to North Natomas, which she represents.
“This region needs a zoo and the zoo needs a home,” Ashby said. “Everyone in our region can benefit from that zoo staying here locally and having more room to grow and expand and really meet their potential.”
The zoo had considered moving to the former Sleep Train Arena site in North Natomas, but that site is now slated for a hospital and medical center complex — a project Elk Grove officials rejected. It’s unclear whether there would be enough land available at the Sleep Train site for both a hospital and zoo.
Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela said her office has been in “constant contact” with zoo officials since she took office in December, trying to find a way for the zoo to stay in the city.
“It’s a matter of the city running out of options, but not a matter of the conversation not happening behind the scenes,” said Valenzuela, who represents the central city and Land Park.
If the zoo does move, Valenzuela said she plans to engage the community in a discussion for the current zoo site in Land Park.
Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen said Elk Grove is “well positioned to provide space and support for a new zoo that will be a major attraction for visitors throughout the Sacramento region and northern California.”
“When we first learned of the zoo’s search for a new home, we knew the project would be a perfect fit and would align with the city’s values,” Singh-Allen said in the zoo’s news release. “The Elk Grove site will allow the zoo to become one of the country’s world-class zoos while honoring its nearly 100-year history and heritage in the Sacramento region.”
If an Elk Grove agreement is struck, it’s not known when a relocation would take place, Stallard said. In the meantime, the zoo will remain open to visitors in Land Park.
“The Sacramento Zoo is here and open in Land Park and will be for the foreseeable future,” Stallard said. “We will keep operations going and keep providing care to our animals while we work all this out.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2021 at 12:22 PM.
