Zoo Documents

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Documents about the New Zoo

Design

The Sacramento Zoological Society has hired a design firm (SHR Studios) that specializes in zoological parks to prepare the Master Plan for the Zoo.  While portions of the design will be informed by the design team’s expertise and the operations parameters for the facility as described in the Feasibility Study, there are a variety of components that will be informed by public feedback.  In summer 2022 the City, the Society, and SHR held several public engagement events and activities, culminating in a Town Hall event in August 2022.  Input from these events was incorporated into the Conceptual Plan, which was presented in November 2022.

Following the Conceptual Design work, the team has moved into Schematic Design, which is a higher level of design detail.  On October 25, 2023, City staff presented an update on the design work to the City Council.  A Community Open House Event was held on November 4, 2023, where the latest design plans were on display.  These materials are available below.

Documents

These materials were presented to the Planning Commission and City Council for their review in considering the proposed New Zoo at Elk Grove Project. While many of the materials are the same between the two meetings, their order and attachment number is often different.  

Planning Commission Materials

The following are the materials that were included in the packet for the April 4, 2024 Planning Commission meeting.  The Commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the project to the City Council.  A separate packet of materials (available to the right) are provided for the City Council Meeting.

City Council Materials

The following are the materials included in the packet for the May 8, 2024 City Council meeting.  The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and be held in the City Council Chambers at 8400 Laguna Palms Way, Elk Grove.

Environmental Review

Before approvals of the Zoo can be considered by the City, an Environmental Impact Report, or EIR, must be prepared. The EIR analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the Zoo. Key steps or milestones in the EIR process include:

  • A Notice or Preparation, which informs the public and other public agencies that an EIR is being prepared for the project.  The City released the Notice of Preparation on November 18, 2022.
  • A Draft EIR, which is a complete document that includes all the analysis, identifies potentially significant effects of the project, and proposes mitigation measures to mitigate potential impacts.  The Draft EIR is made available to the public and other public agencies so that they may provide comments on the analysis.
  • A Final EIR, which incorporates the Draft EIR, includes all the comments received on the Draft EIR and responses from the City on those comments.  It also includes any corrections or revisions to the Draft EIR.  Together, the Draft and Final EIRs make up the whole of the EIR.

On January 5, 2024, the City released the Draft EIR for the New Zoo Project.  Comments on the Draft EIR were due by February 20, 2024.  Response to comments were prepared and are included in the Final EIR, which is available on this webpage.

Environmental Impact Report

Final EIR by Sections

Draft EIR by Sections

 

 

Other Documents

Planning Timeline

  • Spring 2022
     
  • 1.0 Conceptual Master Plan
    Summer 2022
  • 2.0 Schematic Plan
    Fall 2022-Fall 2023
  • 3.0 Infrastructure Master Plan
    Winter 2023
  • 4.0 Plan of Finance
    Winter 2023 - Winter 2024
  • 5.0 CEQA Review
    Spring 2023 - Spring 2024
  • 6.0 Project Approvals
    Spring 2024

2022 Feasibility Study

On March 10, 2022, the City and the Zoological Society released a Feasibility Study and Economic Impact Analysis (provided below). A public town hall was held concurrently with the release, providing an overview of these materials and an opportunity to ask questions of the project team.  The recording of this meeting is below.  The results of the Feasibility Study and Economic Impact Analysis were shared with the City Council on March 23, 2022. The Council directed the continued planning and design for the facility.  A Memorandum of Understanding, which outlines the next steps in the process and the roles of the parties, was entered into on May 25, 2022.

Virtual Public Meeting: A New Zoo - Overview of the Project and Financing Plan

On April 17, 2024, the City hosted an online meeting to present an overview of the proposed New Zoo Project and the proposed Financing Plan.  A recording of the meeting is available below.