GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Commissioners voted in favor of adding paved parking spaces to John Ball Zoo (JBZ) during a meeting Thursday.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners approved the plan 11-6. Two commissioners abstained from voting.
"Our number one complaint from zoo guests is a lack of parking and the condition of the parking,” CEO Peter D’Arienzo during an October 2023 meeting. “The number one complaint that we got from the neighborhood was, 'I don’t have a park.'”
It’s why expanded parking was included in the zoo’s master plan. JBZ is among the fastest-growing zoos in the nation, but that growth makes it more difficult for guests to park. Many of them end up parking in the grass — and near area homes — due to insufficient parking space.
The plan is to add parking space toward the hill and away from the park.
The decision comes after the zoo collected public input on the plan.
READ MORE: 'Worth fighting for': Battle over proposed John Ball Zoo parking continues
