“This project promises to enrich the region both culturally and economically,” the North Alabama Zoological Society said in a statement.

NALZS is a nonprofit organization that has been working to find land and finding to bring a zoo to the North Alabama region. Choosing to set their sights on Limestone County, the organization is trying to find a place to lay a foundation for their project.

“In collaboration with Limestone County leaders, NALZS has spent more than a year and a half developing a comprehensive funding proposal for Phase 1 of the zoo project,” NALZS said.

The organization tried to explore “every possible alternative” before turning to public funding for the project in hopes to “minimize the financial burden” on Limestone County residents. Now that public funding seems inevitable, they want to let Limestone residents have a voice.

“While we work to gain legislative support, we are passionate about giving the county residents an opportunity to exercise their right to vote on matters that impact their community,” said NALZS past board chair, Keeley Sykes. “We remain hopeful and will continue to work tirelessly to bring this opportunity to the public to decide.”

Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly agreed with the statement that some Limestone leaders are hesitant to proceed with pushing this up the legal ladder at this point.

“It’s a lot more moving parts than that,” Daly said. “What they’re wanting to do is put on a utility tax, and the legislation is going to have to do that.”

The next steps for the commission would be to pass a resolution with the hopes that Alabama legislators would take action on their behalf, and without more secure plans, the commissioners are hesitant.

“The legislators would have to pass the resolution, and I think they’ve got some hangups in some of their questions, too,” Daly said of state legislators. “They were wanting (the commission) to borrow the money to build it and hold the responsibility of the note.”

While there may not be a vote from Limestone residents yet, some are still making their voices heard.

“(NALZS is) wanting public utility tax to pay for it, and some of the commissioners don’t think that the public would want that. I think some of the public reached out to them,” Daly said.

NALZS wants residents to make their voices heard to demonstrate “the collective will” to make the North Alabama Zoo a reality, and those interested in supporting can find more information at NALZS.org.