Sacramento Zoo seeks public input on revised Land Park expansion plan

The future of the Sacramento Zoo is up for discussion again Wednesday as zoo officials seek public input on a revised expansion plan.

Sacramento Zoo officials say they are looking ahead to its next 100 years, and the public will have another chance to weigh in on how it gets there.

Zoo leaders are proposing a nearly 6-acre expansion that would increase the zoo's footprint from just over 14 acres to roughly 20 acres. Officials say the added space would allow for larger animal habitats, expanded conservation programs and new visitor experiences.

"The zoo is on a very small site now, 14.6 acres, and we are using just about every square foot of that," said Dan Simon with the Sacramento Zoo.

The updated proposal comes after community members raised concerns about the original plan.

New concept drawings released by the zoo scale back the northern expansion to preserve the historic Charles Swanston Fountain and statue in William Land Park while still adding space that zoo officials say is critical to the zoo's future.

Zoo officials say the Sacramento Zoo has lost iconic species such as tigers and hippopotamuses over the years because it did not have enough room to meet modern animal care standards. They say the expansion would allow the zoo to build larger, more natural habitats and remain in Land Park for generations to come.

"As we look at bringing in new exhibits, we are just going to need more space – more space to move people through the zoo. And the extra space added will really help us do that," Simon said.

Wednesday's virtual meeting begins at 5 p.m. on Zoom.