The Woodland Park Zoo's controversial parking garage project was not on the agenda during their Transportation Demand Management plan open house recently, but a group of 60 people with protest signs showed up to voice their opinions anyways.

Jim Bennett, Woodland Park Zoo's director of communications said the meeting was held to discuss how the zoo would manage transportation, parking and promotion of alternative ways to get to the zoo. Zoo staff and consultants talked about zoo materials and advertising to get more people to take buses, walk or ride bicycles. There was also discussion of incentives for zoo employees to use alternate means of transportation to get to work.

The garage plans have gone through two workshops, three opens houses and six reviews by the Seattle Design Commission.

People from Save Our Zoo and the Phinney Ridge Community Center who are against the parking garage plan, gathered outside the meeting and marched in as a group.

"We may look like crazed activists, we've been to many meetings," said Diane Duthweiler, a member of Save Our Zoo. "We will appeal and stop it at every level, environmentally and financially. Anyway we can to make the issue hit home. It does not make sense for the neighborhood or for Seattle taxpayers."

The zoo is planning to build a four story parking garage to accommodate 710 vehicles in the Northwest portion of zoo grounds at a cost of $16.2 million.

In 1999, zoo officials developed a long range plan to build more parking. Currently the zoo has space for 654 cars and the average zoo of Woodland Park's size has at least 2100 parking spots, according to Jim Bennett, director of communications.

Bennett said families with children in strollers often have to park on the street and would prefer parking on site.

In the next 15 years, there will be an estimated 20 percent increase in admissions at the zoo.

"There is limited parking. Guests circle around the neighborhood looking for parking," said Bennett.

The Woodland Park Zoo is waiting for approval of their master use permit from the city. A decision is expected around the end of the month. Construction would take place later this year and finished in the spring of 2008.

Ginny Watkins, secretary treasurer of the Phinney Ridge Community Center said her group could appeal the decision, but wants to avoid the legal route and go through the Seattle City Council.

"We will ask them not to approve the final bond measure to put the brakes on the project," said Watkins

After marching into the meeting, protestors wrote seven pages of comments against it. Only two comments were in support of the garage.

The zoo was originally planning on an underground parking facility in the south end of their property. This proposal, estimated at $28 million to $30 million. The city nixed the south parking facility because it was too expensive.

Watkins would like to see the zoo "go back to the drawing board" to look at alternatives to a garage.

"Do something less invasive than putting up an above ground garage," Watkins said.

"We are looking for more environmentally friendly ways of handling peak season parking demands that happen just a few days of the year," said Watkins.

She suggests using the parking lots at Lower Woodland Park, the zoo's employee parking lots, taking advantage of public spaces where short shuttle rides can operate, build a surface parking lot or explore the Transportation Demand Management measures discussed on the agenda at the Feb. 12 open house.

Save Our Zoo proponents are worried the parking facility further north is exactly opposite of what the traffic in the neighborhood should be.

Duthweiler said a new street light and a new road would be added if the garage were built. She said some residents would allow more parking on their streets to avoid the building of the garage.

Over 1300 people have signed a "Stop The Commercialization of Woodland Park Zoo petition. The petition claims the zoo is slated for major construction projects that commercialize public park land historically dedicated to animal exhibits and conservation.

In its petition, Save Our Zoo states the zoo society's Long Range Physical Development plan includes: an event center banquet hall for 400 people; a 5,600 square foot building for the carousel with two rental room for parties; an 8,000 square foot conservation gallery, also used for private rentals; a three-level 42,000 square foot office administrative building; and the parking garage, described as being the length of a football field.

The zoo's peak admission periods are during the summer months. Watkins pointed out the zoo had record attendance last summer without having a garage.

The parking garage design has selected portions of the building visible from Phinney Avenue. Bennett said this is so people can see bits of the garage to make it easy to find.

Bennett said the zoo would love to have better bus service to their facility. Currently only one bus serves the zoo, another bus stops four blocks away.

"We would love to see an east west bus route in 50th (Avenue North)," said Bennett.

The zoo has been encouraging people to use a shuttle to get to events. During a recent event, 420 people used a shuttle bus to get there.

For more information on Save Our Zoo, visit http://www.phinneyecovillage.com.