$800,000 to be allocated from reserves for proposed Elk Grove zoo relocation project

Millions of taxpayer dollars already spent on Elk Grove Zoo

When the Elk Grove City Council meeting this Wednesday evening, they will be asked to transfer $800,000 from the city’s reserve funds to the fund for the proposed zoo project.

According to the staff report for the agenda item, additional funding is needed to complete work agreed to in the memorandum of understanding between Elk Grove and the Sacramento Zoological Society, the operator of the Sacramento Zoo. The Sacramento Zoo is seeking to relocate its facility to larger quarters to be developed in Elk Grove.

So far, Elk Grove has budgeted $533,000 for the project, and with the approval of the city council, the additional $800,000 will increase the budget to $1.33 million. The city council is expected to approve the request.

Among the largest expenditures needed to move the project forward are $400,000 for an environmental impact report and $480,000 for road, parking, and transportation plans.

While Elk Grove has spent $1.33 million so far, details of how the project will be financed still need to be determined. The initial phase of the zoo is estimated at $142 to $206 million. When the zoo is built out, total costs are estimated at over $300 million.

Aside from the $1.33 million for studies, the city paid $9.5 million for 100 acres on the city’s south side, which would be used partly for the 60-acre zoo.

The Wednesday city council meeting starts at 6 p.m.