Item 08 - Prentice Park Deed Modification

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Parks, Recreation, and Community Services www.santa-ana.org/parks Item # 8 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report June 20, 2023 TOPIC: Prentice Park Deed Modification AGENDA TITLE Receive and File Update on Prentice Park Deed and Zoo Master Plan RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive and file. DISCUSSION Over the past 71 years, the Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park has grown from an open field with several monkey exhibits into a vibrant and thriving organization with conservation and animal well-being at its core. Through fun, adventure, and learning, the Zoo empowers the community to save wildlife and wild spaces. In keeping with modern animal management and husbandry, the animal habitats and practices are constantly being improved. The Zoo employs over 25 full-time employees and 40 part- time employees, and is supported by over 100 volunteers. It is estimated that the Zoo will contribute over $200 million to the local economy between 2019 and 2028 with continued implementation of the Master Plan. The Zoo was founded upon the donation of 12 acres of land from Mr. Joseph Edward Prentice with a desire to develop a Zoo for the community and provide opportunities for the children in Santa Ana. The donation came with a number of conditions and the action recently taken and included as an exhibit with this staff report modifies the deed by striking one condition specific to the number of monkeys at the Zoo. While the Zoo has always endeavored to maintain 50 monkeys for visitors, with the evolution of zoo management and modern animal husbandry practices, this requirement has become less attainable and optimal over time. With support of the Prentice Family, this deed modification provides clarity as we proceed with implementation of the Master Plan, the driver of future development. In 2018, the City Council approved a 20-year Master Plan for Zoo and a number of projects are currently under construction or in planning stages. An area of focus in the plan and the only area remaining relatively unchanged since the founding of the Zoo is the north end area, where the highest concentration of primate habitats exist.