THAT WAS CHLOE MELAS REPORTING. SACRAMENTO CITY LEADERS HAVE AGREED TO WORK ON A PLAN TO GROW THE SACRAMENTO ZOO. TONIGHT, THE SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A SACRAMENTO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY REGARDING A POTENTIAL EXPANSION AT ITS CURRENT LAND PARK LOCATION. THE PROPOSAL WOULD ADD NEARLY SIX ACRES TO CREATE MORE SPACE FOR ANIMAL HABITATS AND EDUCATION. ZOO LEADERS SAY THE EXPANSION COULD HELP KEEP IT A MAJOR REGIONAL ATTRACTION. TONIGHT’S VOTE DID NOT APPRO
Sacramento City Council takes a step toward expanding the Sacramento Zoo
Updated: 12:02 PM PDT Apr 29, 2026
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday gave the OK to begin working with the Sacramento Zoological Society on a framework for how to expand the zoo at its current Land Park location.The council authorized the city manager to work on a memorandum of understanding with the Sacramento Zoological Society.See the agenda item and staff report here.The zoo, home to hundreds of animals across more than 14 acres, is looking to secure additional space to continue its operations in Land Park.The Sacramento Zoological Society aims to expand the zoo by 5.8 acres. The proposed expansion would include a more than 4-acre lot known as the Pony Ride area near the Funderland Amusement Park. Land Park Pony Rides closed in 2022 after a 37-year run.The other spot for an expansion is a nearly one-and-a-half-acre lot on the zoo’s northern side.The two proposed sites would bring the total size of the zoo to 20.1 acres, representing a 40% increase.This comes after plans fell through to relocate the zoo to Elk Grove for a 65-acre site.In April, zoo officials cited economic uncertainty and increased construction costs. It said plans for the development kept shrinking to the point where the zoo would have had to house fewer species than it currently does in Sacramento.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday gave the OK to begin working with the Sacramento Zoological Society on a framework for how to expand the zoo at its current Land Park location.
The council authorized the city manager to work on a memorandum of understanding with the Sacramento Zoological Society.
The zoo, home to hundreds of animals across more than 14 acres, is looking to secure additional space to continue its operations in Land Park.
The Sacramento Zoological Society aims to expand the zoo by 5.8 acres.
The proposed expansion would include a more than 4-acre lot known as the Pony Ride area near the Funderland Amusement Park. Land Park Pony Rides closed in 2022 after a 37-year run.
The other spot for an expansion is a nearly one-and-a-half-acre lot on the zoo’s northern side.
The two proposed sites would bring the total size of the zoo to 20.1 acres, representing a 40% increase.
This comes after plans fell through to relocate the zoo to Elk Grove for a 65-acre site.
In April, zoo officials cited economic uncertainty and increased construction costs. It said plans for the development kept shrinking to the point where the zoo would have had to house fewer species than it currently does in Sacramento.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel