Folsom City Zoo faces steep fines, expensive fix over fence feds say is too short
FOLSOM – Federal inspectors say the Folsom City Zoo's fence isn't tall enough. Now the 60-year-old zoo could face fines, or worse if it can't reach new heights.
The Folsom City Zoo is a popular place for families to visit.
Folsom resident Krista Barna purchased a family pass.
"It's just a really pleasant walk," Barna said. "It's shady, there's deer in the middle."
And nine-year-old Bonnie has some favorite animals.
"Monkeys and the wolves," Bonnie said.
But now the future of Timber the wolf, Henry the black bear, and other animals is uncertain.
The US Department of Agriculture, which regulates zoos, inspected the facility last November and found it does not meet current safety standards.
The six-acre site is surrounded by a fence that is supposed to keep animals inside and keep trespassers out. USDA rules require fences to be at least eight feet tall. But an inspector found Folsom's fence was much lower in some areas.
We brought our own tape measure and found a spot near the entrance.
Although it had barbed wire on top, the fully enclosed portion was less than six feet tall.
So why is the Folsom City Zoo's fence so low?
"Over the years, soil has moved around, there's been a lot of debris and litter, so the ground level has been brought up," said Brad Nelson, Folsom's senior park planner. "The fence itself is in a pretty bad state of repair."
The zoo faces some steep fines and could be forced to close if the fence is not replaced by March of next year.
"The fines are based on how many animals you have in there, and so it equates to approximately $10,000 a day," said Lorraine Poggione, Folsom's Parks and Recreation director.
Fans of the zoo want to see it fixed.
"It's kind of the heart of Folsom," Barna said.
The fate of the zoo is now in the hands of the Folsom city council, which is being asked to approve spending nearly $650,000 to raise the fence.
"I definitely think it's worth investing in," Barna said.
The city council is scheduled to vote on fixing the fence next Tuesday, with the majority of the money coming from federal stimulus funding.
