of los angeles city council The Los Angeles Zoo is poised to support a major renovation of the Los Angeles Zoo on Wednesday. The proposal has been controversial, but has been criticized by Hillside neighborhood groups and environmentalists for being detrimental to Griffith Park.

The city council will vote on accreditation of environmental impact reports for city-owned facilities. Zoo officials want to renovate the 1960s facility to expand conservation efforts and create more space for animals.

But some key details of the renovation remain unclear after zoo officials said in June that they would consider other options in the face of opposition to the construction of carving out the hill.

Without a final design, it’s unclear how much private and public money would pay for the renovation. Previous estimates put the initial cost of construction over the next few years at $650 million.

The plan, which is due to be approved by Congress on Wednesday, estimates that the additional facilities will require the zoo to employ nearly 300 staff over the next 18 years.

City councilor Nitya Raman said in a statement this week that he hopes the zoo in his district will work with local groups to move forward with the plan. her office also fact sheet The zoo said the controversial planned visitor center would not be built on a ridge within the zoo grounds.

“Given the zoo’s willingness to respond to community feedback, I am confident that further concerns can and will be addressed as they develop the detailed project design. ‘, said Mr Raman. “My staff and I will continue to work with them and remain fully committed to raising community concerns, as we have throughout the process.”

The environmental analysis for the zoo’s renovation began several years ago when zoo leaders sought to transform the facility and prepare it for the expected visitors during the 2028 Summer Olympics. But before that, flashy proposals like adding an aerial tram, a Yosemite National Park-style lodge, and a parking lot were scrapped.

The first phase of the latest proposal includes an expanded elephant exhibit, California wildlife programs, a new visitor center and an admissions building. An additional 300 parking spaces and a parking program are also proposed.

In a letter to city council members in June, Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden Director Dennis Berrett wrote that the plan is “a zoological initiative to innovate and transform physical campuses into modern zoo facilities for future generations.” It is an important milestone in history,” he said. Angelenos,” referring to other zoo goals regarding accessibility and conservation.

Mr. Berrett’s letter outlined plans for the zoo to reduce the size of its visitor center (it was once planned to be more than 15,000 square feet, according to opponents) and to rework a proposal to reduce the park by 60 feet. He also said he intends to work on changing the Head to the Condor-themed ‘canyon’ hills.

both Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Hillside and Canyon as SNS Coalition.Groups representing 47 community groups straddling the Santa Monica Mountains criticized these factors.

President Jerry Hans Friends of Griffith Parksaid he was happy that previous plans had been withdrawn, but was not satisfied with the zoo’s assurances about future efforts.

“We made a real effort to persuade the zoo and Congressional District 4 to continue working to avoid impacting all existing habitat,” Hans said.