Voters in greater Portland have approved further investments in species conservation, with the passage of Measure 26-244, Metro’s Oregon Zoo bond renewal.
As of the afternoon May 22, Measure 26-244 was passing with 55% of the vote.
The measure, which was referred to voters by the Metro Council, authorizes $380 million in bonds to support new facilities at the 65-year-old Oregon Zoo campus. Proposed improvements include renovation or replacement of some of the zoo’s oldest animal areas, educational exhibits, visitor facilities and infrastructure.
Staff at the Oregon Zoo has developed a draft campus plan, which will be reviewed by the Metro Council later this year.
The average estimated tax rate of the proposed bonds would be $0.085 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Voters last approved a zoo bond measure in 2008. Projects funded by that measure were completed in 2021, having upgraded roughly 40 percent of the zoo, with projects including Elephant Lands, Primate Forest, Polar Passage, Condors of the Columbia, a veterinary medical center and an education center.
“Oregonians have made it clear that they love the Oregon Zoo,” said Metro Council President Lynn Peterson. “The staff at the Oregon Zoo has done incredible work supporting conservation of wildlife, like the California condor, Oregon silverspot butterfly and the potential return of sea otters to the Oregon Coast. This is a huge vote of confidence from the public in our mission and, frankly, ourselves.”