A Grand Rapids City Commission committee is rejecting a proposal to study the John Ball Zoo as a historic site.
The idea was proposed after some members of the community voiced concern about plans to turn green areas of the park surrounding the zoo into parking lots.
The Grand Rapids Committee of the Whole voted unanimously to recommend the city turn down the proposal to consider making the JBZ area a historic district.
Kent County Administrator Alan Vanderberg wrote a letter to the city manager and said the commission considered a similar idea in 2002 and decided against it as it would limit the county's ability to make the zoo sustainable.
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