The elephant in the room at the Los Angeles City Council this week was a price hike for Zoo admission that will increase entrance fees to $21.
But that’s a relative bargain compared to the $44 admission fee at the famed San Diego Zoo.
Los Angeles has not raised the admission fee at the L.A. Zoo since a $1 hike was instituted in 2015, but there had been annual $1 increases for eight consecutive years before that.
The Council approved a $1 ticket increase to start Saturday, but a technical requirement over the mayor’s signature means the new rate won’t take effect for about a month.
The ordinance, approved by the council Tuesday, specifically states new fees will begin July 1, but according to the city clerk’s office, Mayor Eric Garcetti still needs to sign the legislation, and the increase must be posted for 30 days in a local newspaper before it becomes effective.
When the increase takes effect, general admission will be $21 for adults, $16 for children ages 2 to 12, and $18 for seniors age 62 and older.
The general admission fees for groups of 15 or more will also be increased by $1 per person, from $17 to $18 for adults and from $14 to $15 for children.
—Staff and wire reports