RESIDENTIAL PARKING ZONE (RPZ)

Does the zoo want to “impose” a residential parking zone (RPZ) on the neighborhood?

• No. Under city law, the zoo can’t force an RPZ on the neighborhood. Residents must decide for themselves, by a supermajority of 60% of affected households, to establish an RPZ. The zoo is in favor of an RPZ if the neighborhood chooses to adopt one, because utilization of the garage will help offset part of the cost of the facility and help to address long-standing neighborhood concerns about the negative impact of zoo visitor parking. But an RPZ is a neighborhood decision, not a zoo choice.
• A few years ago, residents to the south of the zoo petitioned for an RPZ to restrict zoo visitor parking in their neighborhoods. They generated the required 60% supermajority to request an RPZ. However, the city would not allow an RPZ at the time, since it would seriously inconvenience zoo visitors. The city imposed a temporary moratorium on an RPZ until a parking garage could be constructed to accommodate the parking needs of visitors.
• If residents decide that they want an RPZ, the city normally expects them to pay part of the costs of setting up and enforcing the RPZ. The cost is customarily $35 for every two-year cycle, per vehicle they want permitted. Visitor and temporary passes are also available.
• The zoo has agreed to incur the RPZ fee for the first two years – neighbors will be expected to pay the fee after the initial two years.

EVENTS CENTER

Why is the zoo planning to build an events center?

• By providing dedicated indoor events space, the events center will allow for year-round community use of the zoo for weddings, family reunions, company parties and other social gatherings that currently take place outdoors during warm-weather months.
• To ensure that this 105-year-old institution remains a treasure to the region and continues to thrive financially, the zoo needs to make improvements and create more revenue streams. The center will provide increased revenue to directly fund daily operations of the zoo including animal care, horticulture, maintenance, education, and other public programs, particularly during off-peak months when attendance and revenue drop.

Where will the center be located?

• The center will be set into the landscape across the main pathway from the North Meadow. We’ve worked hard to ensure that new non-exhibit buildings are located away from animal zones in areas already established as gathering places for visitors and venues for large community activities and celebrations, such as the North Meadow. The North Meadow itself will not be reduced in size or altered by the facility.
• This facility will not be visible from the surrounding neighborhood.

What is the proposed size of the building and its capacity?

• The footprint is a one-story building with 9,000 square feet. Woodland Park Zoo is renowned for screening buildings through landscaping. Like most of our zoo facilities, it will be sensitively designed to fit well within this environment.
• Capacity for the one-story building is 400. However, based on typical guest lists of private events at our existing indoor venues, we anticipate attracting on average 120 people to the events center for each private event.

When will the center open?

• A timetable is not in place for the events center. While it is a part of the zoo’s LRPDP, design and construction are not in the immediate future of the zoo.

Will events center parking impact the zoo neighborhood?

• Zoo patrons using the events center will generally pay for garage parking as part of their overall space rental. As a result, special events visitors, including those attending evening events, will park in the garage next to the events center, not on neighborhood streets.

OFFICE BUILDING

Is it true the zoo plans to build a business-park type of office building?

• No. The footprint of the proposed office building is about the same size as the footprint for the existing complex of trailers that currently houses administrative staff – it is appropriately sized for our administrative needs.

Why does the zoo need another office building?

• Critical improvements for animals and zoo visitors have taken priority; therefore, permanent facilities to house staff have been delayed for years. Staff are currently dispersed among more than two dozen facilities across the 92-acre zoo. The new building will replace the substandard, aging and energy-inefficient trailers.
• The new building would consolidate most zoo operations staff in one location, facilitating the collaboration and interaction necessary to run the zoo efficiently and effectively.
• In reinforcing the zoo’s core mission of conservation, the new building will integrate sustainable strategies such as efficient and cost-effective energy, water and material use and the creation of healthy indoor air.

Where will the office building be located?

• We have selected the site of the current North Entrance at N. 59th St. & Evanston Ave. N. because it is most conducive for the success of natural ventilation and heating systems, and provides convenient access from inside and outside zoo grounds.
• The location also ensures that the building will have minimal visual impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

When will the office building be built?

• While the new building is a part of the LRPDP, design and construction are not in the immediate plans of the zoo.

THE ZOO AS A REGIONAL RESOURCE – NOT CHANGING WHO WE ARE

• The zoo has worked hard to create a long-range plan that balances the future needs of the zoo and zoo visitors with the expectations of the city and region to maintain a world-class facility. This plan enables us to have an even better zoo, without any negative consequences to the animals or our ability to connect people with nature.
• We will continue to work to ensure the zoo’s unique character, design philosophy and ecological emphasis that have earned us the stature of being a top award-winning zoo.
• We believe new facilities, such as the events center, will help our zoo avoid the fate of some zoos around the country that are responding to rising costs and a down economy by laying off staff, closing exhibits or contemplating steep hikes in admission rates. The zoo’s overall plan takes a responsible approach to meet these cost increases while maintaining affordable admission rates and avoiding over-commercialization.
• We will continue to invite public input as we move forward on the LRPDP to ensure that we carefully balance the zoo’s projected needs over the next 20 years with those of our community and our neighbors.