ZOOMARS

Carolyn Franks of ZOOMARS Named SJC Chamber of Commerce New President

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 00:45:00 +0000

Chamber of Commerce Installation Welcomes New Leadership, Honors Residents

By Andrea Papagianis and Brian Park | Original article here

Ringing in a new year for local business, the San Juan Chamber of Commerce installed its new leadership board and president Thursday evening at El Adobe de Capistrano and highlighted outstanding members of the community.

Carolyn Franks, owner of Zoomars Petting Zoo, was named the chamber’s new board president.

San Diego Gas & Electric was recognized as the Business of the Year, for being a good neighbor to the city of San Juan Capistrano.

For their involvement in the local fold, Steve Behmerwohld and Kathy Hooper were named man and woman of the year, respectively. Both are longtime members of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Commission.

Behmerwohld, known throughout town for playing Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny at holiday events, was recently inducted into the city’s Wall of Recognition. He is also a volunteer for several local organizations, including the Open Space Foundation and the city’s Associated Senior Action Program.

Hopper, a second-time recipient, is the first repeat winner of the honor for her work in the town’s time-honored traditions, the Fiesta de las Golondrinas and Swallows Day Parade.

Ambassador to the chamber and various national and local cancer associations, Ted Roberts, was named Ambassador of the Year.

Summer Camp at ZOOMARS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 22:00:00 +0000

For more info or to register online click here

Hello Handsome

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:45:00 +0000

We would like to give a HUGE Thank You to our friends for the over 100 name suggestions we received on Facebook. Y'all are awesome and mighty clever!

Please say hello to HANDSOME.

His name says it all!

#Zoomars on the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:15:00 +0000

Do you #Zoomars?

They do.

Zoomars' Friends from around the internet.

Thanks for sharing such awesome photos!

If you recognize one of your photos, please let us know in the comments.

Credit should always go to the creator!

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:32:00 +0000

Juan fine Dinosaur

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:17:00 +0000

ZOOMARS | Grand Canyon Caverns

So Long, Juan from The Capistrano Dispatch

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:10:00 +0000

Original article here

By Brian Park | Capistrano Dispatch

As quietly as it had entered into town, Juan the Zoomars dinosaur made its exit from San Juan Capistrano Tuesday, bringing to an end a nearly yearlong controversy over its place in the Los Rios Historic District.

A small crew began disassembling the 13-foot-tall, 40-foot-long apatosaurus replica Tuesday morning at Zoomars Petting Zoo—the same crew that initially installed the structure last June.

Workers disassemble the apatosaurus replica at Zoomars Petting Zoo.
The same workers also installed the structure last June,
according to owner Carolyn Franks. Photo by Brian Park

“I’m sad and angry. I’m hurt and disappointed,” Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks said. On April 2, Franks’ appeal to save the dinosaur replica failed to pass on the City Council’s tie vote. The city gave Franks until Friday to remove the structure.

“It was a bad deal. It was the wrong decision and it’s really unfortunate,” Franks said. “No one can understand it. It makes no sense. Who takes a dinosaur away from kids?”

Once fully disassembled into seven pieces, the dinosaur will be placed onto a truck and sent to its new home at the Grand Canyon Caverns, located on historic Route 66, in Peach Springs, Ariz. The caverns encompass 800 acres and are known to be the largest collection of dry caverns in the country. The attraction was formerly known as “Dinosaur City,” and it still features several dinosaur replicas.

Mike Kadletz, co-owner of the Grand Canyon Caverns, was on hand to oversee its transportation. The Zoomars dinosaur will be the first new addition to the dinosaur exhibit since Kadletz and his partners bought the attraction 11 years ago. Once it is reassembled, Kadletz said the dinosaur will feature LED lighting in its mouth and eyes. He added that its name will change from Juan to “Zoomie,” to acknowledge its former home.

“I think on our brochure, we’ll also have the mileage to Zoomars Petting Zoo from our place,” Kadletz said. “Carolyn chose the name. It’s her baby, so we’ll stick with it.”

While holding a box filled with broken pieces of plaster and fiberglass from the dinosaur, Frank said although she is sad she wasn’t able to keep the structure, she’s glad she found it a fitting home.

Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks displays a box of broken plaster
and fiberglass from the apatosaurus replica.
Photo by Brian Park

“It’s sort of a happy ending. He’s sort of getting a promotion from Los Rios Street to historic Route 66, where millions of people will love him,” Franks said. “It will be great for the Grand Canyon Caverns too. It will help their business like it helped mine.

LA Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 19:54:00 +0000

For Juan the apatosaurus, an eviction event in Capistrano

The statue of the leathery lizard was long a sore spot with San Juan Capistrano locals, who are having him removed from historic Los Rios Street and shipped to a tourist attraction in Arizona.

By Rick Rojas, Los Angeles Times

April 20, 2013, 5:00 p.m.

Original article here

Carolyn Franks, owner of the Zoomars petting zoo on historic Los Rios Street in San Juan Capistrano, stands in front of Juan the Capistrano Dinosaur. Detractors say the 40-foot apatosaurus statue is an eyesore that has no place in the city, and Juan is scheduled to be shipped to a tourist attraction in Arizona. (Glenn Koenig, Los Angeles Times / April 9, 2013)

Historical advocates in San Juan Capistrano argued that the jagged hills of southern Orange County were deep under water when dinosaurs first roamed the Earth. No land-roaming dinosaur — neither a T. rex, stegosaurus nor apatosaurus — would have come through unless lost at sea.

Many things have changed since the water washed away: Missionaries built a majestic cathedral, settlers established what would become one of California's oldest neighborhoods and a thick cloud of swallows would flock back to their nests here each spring.

But this much has held true: There's still no place for an apatosaurus on Los Rios Street.

City officials decided earlier this month that the 40-foot statue of the friendly faced apatosaurus — installed by Zoomars, a petting zoo on the historic avenue — had to go, ending a squabble of Jurassic proportions that held the city's attention for months. The city sided with historical advocates who saw the dinosaur as an eyesore, cheapening the neighborhood's real history, and others who just saw him as a nuisance.

Carolyn Franks, the zoo's owner, has had to find a new home for the statue dubbed Juan the Capistrano Dinosaur.

Homeowners throughout Southern California have offered to put him in their yards, and a college professor wanted him on campus. But, ultimately, Franks settled on Grand Canyon Caverns, a tourist attraction in Peach Springs, Ariz., right on Route 66.

"I feel like a mom placing her baby," said Franks, who drove out to the speck of a desert town before deciding it would be a good home for him. "I feel that dinosaur has brought a lot of joy to the zoo. I just want to share it with more people. I just want to put it in a good place."

The dinosaur's detractors are glad he'll soon be gone.

"She finally woke up and knows it's unacceptable in San Juan," Ilse Byrnes, a local historical advocate who worked to have Los Rios added to the National Register of Historic Places, said of Franks. "I'm glad it's over. If it had gone through, it would have set a precedent — a bad, bad example."

The statue of the leathery green-gray creature with a long neck and goofy smile was built in the Philippines and cast off by a Romanian shopping mall before somehow finding its way to one of Orange County's oldest and tiniest towns. Franks bought the statue for about $12,000, thinking the dinosaur would be a magnet for her young clientele and fit right in with the menagerie of ponies, goats and alpacas already there.

But the troubles began soon after he arrived. In June, Franks — who hauled in the statue without permits or permission — was cited by the city, receiving a hand-written notice that she described as a cease-and-desist letter.

"Unpermitted brontosaurus," it read.

"It's a historic animal in a historic animal park, and I don't understand what the fuss is about," Franks said. "None of it makes sense to me. None of it makes sense to anybody."

But others — including some of Franks' neighbors on Los Rios Street — argued that the creature did not belong, sticking out amid the old adobes and 200-year-old wooden houses.

Roy Byrnes, a city councilman, said the debate was about something larger than the dinosaur. He said the apatosaurus was but the latest chapter in a long back-and-forth over the profit motive of businesses on the street and the tranquil environment the people who live there want to maintain.

"For goodness' sake, we want commercial uses and we want businesses to thrive," Byrnes said. But, he added, it cannot come by robbing residents of their peace and quiet. "We'll lose the historic qualities of Los Rios," he said. "It's a balance."

The 10-month debate found its way to the City Council earlier this month, after votes by the planning and cultural heritage commissions. Other council members floated alternatives, such as letting Juan hang around for a while longer — another two years — so that Franks could recoup her investment. But after a split vote, a Planning Commission decision to boot the statue was upheld.

Franks complained about how political the process had become, but she has no regrets. "He's brought smiles and laughter to so many people," she said.

She recently received another letter from the city. This time, an eviction notice.

The city declared that Juan must be gone by 1 p.m. on May 3. Yet he should be far from his perch between a playground and a goat pen by then — a good six-hour drive through the desert, to the spot on Route 66 with a statue of a T. rex out front, welcoming him home.

rick.rojas@latimes.com

Zoomars Dinosaur Finds a New Home in Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:52:00 +0000

The Capistrano dispatch
By Brian Park | original article here

Juan the Zoomars dinosaur has a new home.

Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks has agreed to give up the 13-foot-tall, 36-foot-long apatosaurus replica to the owner of the Grand Canyon Caverns, located on historic Route 66, in Peach Springs, Ariz.

The Grand Canyon Caverns encompasses 800 acres and is the largest dry cavern in the country, according to a press release. It was formerly known as “Dinosaur City” and still features several dinosaur replicas.

“It was really important that I put it in a place where people were going to love it and it wasn’t going to move again,” Franks said. “It’s just a really cool place. It’s an old fashioned family place, and I just felt right about it.”

An appeal to save the controversial dinosaur structure failed to pass on the City Council’s 2-2 vote on Tuesday, April 2, bringing to an end a nearly 10-month debate over its place in the Los Rios Historic District.

Following the council’s decision, Franks said she was flooded with phone calls, emails and letters from interested buyers, including theme parks, car dealerships and schools. Franks said she decided to give up the dinosaur to Grand Canyon Caverns at no cost—despite remaining payments on an initial $12,000 purchase—because of the attraction’s previous life as Dinosaur City.

“I had a lot of big offers, but I didn’t feel right selling it. It was more important for me to find a good home,” Franks said. “It’s bittersweet.”

The city has given Franks until May 3, at 1 p.m., to remove the structure. Franks said arrangements are currently being made to transport the structure.

City Issues Eviction Notice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 23:18:00 +0000

The Zoomars dinosaur has until May 3 to clear out of town.

By Penny Arévalo | SJCPatch

Original article here

Juan the Zoomars Petting Zoo dinosaur has received his official eviction notice.

A day after the City Council declined to grant the Apatosaurus statue a stay of execution, the city fired off a letter, giving Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks 30 days to remove him (or her, it’s never been determined) from the property.

“Please be advised that the Apatosaurus (dinosaur) statue must be removed by from the property within thirty (30) days, no later than Friday, May 3 at 1 p.m.,” wrote Grant Taylor, director of development services for the city in an April 3 letter.

“I am trying to make some arrangements now, but it is killing me to do so as the zoo has been flooded with people and reporters asking why the city would take an innocent dinosaur away from children,” Franks told Patch. “As one mother put it, ‘It's heartless.’ "

Franks said she will abide by the decision. She said she still has trouble squaring away how two supposed property-rights conservatives, refering to councilmen Roy Byrnes and Derek Reeve, could reject Juan.

The final vote was 2-2, with Mayor John Taylor not voting because he lives in the Los Rios Historic District. A tie is effectively a denial.

“The whole thing is just so upsetting for everyone, and I can tell you that the majority of residents in this city, many who have come down to see us, are sadly disappointed by this outcome,” Franks said.

The Capistrano Dispatch Lastest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:40:00 +0000

Tie Vote Spells Doom for Zoomars Dinosaur

EYE ON SJC, NEWS HEADLINES | APRIL 3, 2013 BY STAFF

Original article here

By Brian Park

Like the apocalyptic asteroid that’s theorized to have wiped out its real-life brethren, Juan, the controversial dinosaur statue at Zoomars Petting Zoo, was delivered its final extinction notice from the city of San Juan Capistrano Tuesday night.

An appeal to save the apatosaurus replica failed to pass on the City Council’s 2-2 vote – a decision that was met with praise from its preservation-minded critics, who believed the dinosaur was an unbefitting addition to the Los Rios Historic District, but stunned Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks and her small army of supporters.

“This is a sad day for the kids,” said an emotional Franks after the hearing. “I feel like I let down the kids. It’s not about the money. It’s that I’m going to have to tell these kids that the city doesn’t want the dinosaur.”

After hearing close to two hours of public comment – from 21 dinosaur supporters and 11 opponents – the City Council discussed the item for nearly an hour themselves. Before them was Franks’ appeal of a January denial of the dinosaur by the Planning Commission.

Since the dinosaur replica was first installed and flagged for removal in June, the city has argued that the structure is inconsistent with the Los Rios Specific Plan, which sets the goals, policies and historical scope of the Los Rios Historic District – believed to be the longest continually-inhabited residential neighborhood in the state.

In previous commission meetings, city staff said a single vantage point of the dinosaur from Los Rios Street could potentially threaten the district’s standing on the National Register of Historic Places, although the petting zoo itself falls outside the boundaries of the historic designation.

In November, Franks presented the city with revisions to her conditional-use permit to allow for additional structures that could block the view of the dinosaur from Los Rios Street. The proposal received support from the Cultural Heritage Commission but was denied by the Planning Commission on a 2-2 re-vote in March. On Tuesday, the City Council unanimously approved the additional structures – including shade covers, an authentic Acjachemen reed hut and a fossil sandbox and dig area – but could not come to a consensus on the dinosaur.

“It’s a bridge too far. It’s an assault on peoples’ quiet enjoyment of their property,” Councilman Roy Byrnes said. “This is a land-use issue … The projected uses in my mind are inconsistent with the Los Rios Specific Plan.”

Mayor Pro Tem Sam Allevato and Councilman Larry Kramer provided the votes in support of the dinosaur. Mayor John Taylor recused himself from the hearing because of the proximity of his home to Zoomars.

“The general public, when they see historic, they go back to the beginning of time. To me, historic character does conjure up a dinosaur,” Allevato said. “I believe in Father Serra’s motto, ‘Siempre Adelante’ or ‘Always Forward,’ and I think that’s the way we need to look.”

Franks has said the dinosaur has attracted around 10,000 visitors each month to her zoo and surrounding businesses. Councilman Kramer said those numbers could not be ignored and suggested the statue be allowed to stay over the two-year course of the Interstate 5/Ortega Highway interchange project and then be removed.

“I want to keep those people coming in during the interchange project,” Kramer said. “There are very few family-oriented facilities in the area for people to use.”

Mark Bodenhamer, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, told the council the dinosaur was an opportunity for the city to show its commitment to its local businesses.

“By approving the dinosaur, the city sends the message that it truly supports business,” Bodenhamer said. “The dinosaur has been there for nearly a year, and for me, it still feels like Los Rios.”

The city received nearly 50 letters on the item, the majority written in support of the dinosaur, including ones from State Assemblywoman Diane Harkey and State Senator Mark Wyland.

Before the meeting, Zoomars supporters set up a table in front of City Hall to ask for petition signatures and to offer people stickers, either showing support or opposition to the dinosaur.

San Juan Capistrano resident Wayne Schrimp, a dinosaur supporter, presented the council with more than 500 petition signatures in favor of the dinosaur, around 60 of which were collected prior to the meeting.

The dinosaur also found support from 4-year-old Chase Michael, who was allowed to speak out of turn because it was “past his bed time.”

“Please don’t take the dinosaur away,” Michael said.

Speakers on both sides used the city’s motto, “Preserving the past to enhance the future,” to support their arguments.

“The most important historical building of all in our town (the Mission) just got a brand new gatehouse,” resident Erin Kutnick said. “It’s all part of the process. It’s blending the past with our future.”

Jan Siegel, a member of the Cultural Heritage Commission and a volunteer with the Historical Society, spoke against the dinosaur, saying that its presence took away from the historic district’s existing features, including the nearby Rios Adobe.

“These are the elements that are important and they must be preserved,” Siegel said. “There never were dinosaurs in San Juan Capistrano … The dinosaur is not in keeping with the historic district.”

Throughout the 10-month long debate surrounding the dinosaur, Zoomars’ most vocal critic has been Capistrano Historical Alliance President Jerry Nieblas, whose family predates the Mission. After the council’s decision, Nieblas expressed relief that the dinosaur was voted down but said he’d continue to fight Franks’ other proposed additions.

“I think the dinosaur would have been a destructive message to all of Los Rios Street and all of Orange County because our history started here,” Nieblas said. “It’s been a battle. It’s been draining. I hope now it’s over with and the community can start getting back together.”

Just outside the city council chambers, Nieblas and Franks hugged, as supporters and critics trickled their way out of City Hall. Franks said she has been approached by attorneys willing to represent her if she pursues legal action to save the dinosaur. “I don’t know if we’re about that. We have a lot of decisions to make,” Franks said.

As Franks and Nieblas broke their hug to go their separate ways, Franks said, “It was a good fight.”

Our Dinosaur's Fate Has Been Decided

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:37:00 +0000

Juan the Dino Put out to Pasture

Unable to break a tie vote, a non-vote serves to give the Zoomars Apatosaurus statue the boot.

By Penny Arévalo | SJC Patch original article here

A sticker in support of Juan the dinosaur, worn at the San Juan Capistrano City Council meeting Tuesday. April 2, 2013. Credit Penny Arévalo

Juan the Zoomars Petting Zoo dinosaur has got to go.

The San Juan Capistrano City Council was unable Tuesday to come up with a successful motion either supporting or denying the Apatosaurus statue, which has stirred controversy in town ever since he first appeared in June.

With Mayor John Taylor unable to participate because he lives not far from the zoo, a motion to reject Juan failed 2-2, and then a motion to allow him a two-year lease on life also failed 2-2.

In essence, the council took no action on the item, which means a January Planning Commission denial still stands, City Attorney Han Van Ligten explaned.

Read the transcript of live blog with lots of quotes during the hearing.

After the near-three-hour hearing, Zoomars owner Caroyln Franks seemed to be in near shock.

“It’s a disappointment. I wasn’t expecting this,” Franks said, adding that she had hoped that Councilman Derek Reeve would stay true to his past support of property rights and side with Councilmen Larry Kramer and Sam Allevato, who were in favor of Juan.

“I felt like I let down the kids,” Franks said. “I’m going to tell the kids the city doesn’t want the dinosaur.”

At issue was whether the statue was consistent with the special rules that govern the Los Rios Historic District. To have approved Juan, the council would have had to make a finding that he is consistent with the intent and purpose of the area and that he represents a passive use.

Councilman Roy Byrnes led the charge against the Apatosaurus, saying it represented an “over-commercialization” that is no way passive.

With visitors numbering 10,000 a month, Zoomars has become a “commercial destination of major proportions that rivals the Mission,” Byrnes said. He doesn’t see how that’s compatible with the peace and quiet the next-door residential neighborhood should be able to enjoy.

“I’m worried about an incremental transformation from a home petting zoo to a mini-amusement park,” he said. “If it’s not controlled, it will destroy Los Rios.”

More than 30 people came to the City Council to register an opinion, about two-thirds in favor of keeping the statue.

One of them was 4-year-old Chase Lopez. Allevato allowed him to speak out of turn because it was past his bed time.

“Don’t take the dinosaur away,” he said.

On the opposite side of the issue were residents who have long been involved with historic preservation in the city.

“No one is denying that children love dinosaurs. No one is denying that Zoomars is a great place for children,” said Jan Siegel. But the Los Rios area is on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest residential neighborhood in California, and Juan’s presence threatens that.

“How many years will the Rios family be able to live there?” she asked. “The children that live there are 10^th generation. Will we lose the 11^th generation?”

Stephen Rios of the namesake family spoke against the statue. But other residents – cousins with Rios – with similarly long-standing roots in the community spoke in favor.

One might say it was a historic confrontation.

But afterward, long-time dinosaur critic Jerry Nieblas and Franks hugged.

Franks said she has had many lawyers approach her about taking the matter to court, but she hasn’t made up her mind yet.

“I don’t know if we’re about that. I have decisions to make.”

4-2-13

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 01:21:00 +0000

It's time to rally. See you at City Hall!

#SZD4213 #SJC #ZOOMARS

How Can You Help?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:52:00 +0000

Many of you have been asking where you can send an email in support of the dinosaur.

Emails can be sent to Mayor John Taylor

via City Clerk Maria Morris at mmorris@sanjuancapistrano.org

and your email will be included in tomorrow night's

City Council hearing.

We also invite you to join us at the City Council hearing tomorrow

at 6PM at San Juan Capistrano City Hall.

We thank you all for your support!

We LOVE our Zoomars family!

Dino Fever Picking Up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:53:00 +0000

Residents and businesses are taking sides in a Jurassic debate.

San Juan Capistrano Patch | original article here

Either "We Support Dinosaurs in San Juan" is the latest Hollywood release or the Regency is weighing in on the debate surrounding the Zoomars Petting Zoo dinosaur statue, whose fate the San Juan Capistrano City Council will decde Apri 2.

OC Register: Juan's Last Round-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 23:07:00 +0000

Council appeal could be last round-up for dinosaur statue

By JOSH FRANCIS / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Zoomars Petting Zoo is saddling up for a final appeal in hopes of persuading the City Council to save its 13-foot-tall dinosaur statue from extinction.

Zoo owner Carolyn Franks is calling on her supporters to attend an April 2 meeting, where the council could decide whether the dinosaur stays or goes. The city Planning Commission has twice rejected the $12,000 apatosaurus replica, which the zoo installed in June without permits.

Zoomars Petting Zoo craftsmen Camilo Hernandez, left, and Walter Jolon show a saddle created for Zoomars' 13-foot-tall, 40-foot-long apatosaurus statue.

JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER

Council meeting

The San Juan Capistrano City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. April 2 at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto.

Zoomars even had a saddle made for the dinosaur, which it calls Juan. Visitors can't ride the prehistoric creature, but it's part of Franks' effort to round up more community support for her last-ditch attempt to save her investment. The campaign includes T-shirts, bracelets and a petition she plans to present to the council.

The appeal also will include Franks' plans to erect an Old West facade, huts for an Acjachemen-style Native American village and a prehistoric fossil dig area. The Planning Commission in February approved the structures with several conditions, but a revote this month resulted in a tie, which counts as a rejection.

The appeal to the council lumps the dinosaur and the accessory structures into one item, but the council could decide to consider them separately.

Council members have been tight-lipped about the issue, since it has yet to reach them. Councilman Roy Byrnes' wife, Ilse, is a staunch critic of the statue.

The Capistrano Historical Alliance Committee, a group of members of historical Capistrano families, took offense to the statue's installation and demanded that the city force Franks to remove it. The committee says the dinosaur does not fit the character of the Los Rios Historic District, where Zoomars is located.

SUPPORTERS

San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce: Executive Director Mark Bodenhamer says the dinosaur is a benefit to the city.

San Juan Capistrano Cultural Heritage Commission: In November, the panel voted to allow the dinosaur.

Microsemi: Jim Peterson, chief executive of the Aliso Viejo-based company, has donated thousands of dollars to help Zoomars through the permitting and appeals process for the statue.

OPPONENTS

Capistrano Historical Alliance Committee: Members sent the city a letter within 24 hours of the statue's installation demanding that the statue be removed.

City staff: Has stated the statue does not fit into the historic neighborhood; issued an eviction notice in June that set off ongoing reviews and appeals.

CHRONOLOGY

June 13: Zoomars Petting Zoo owner Carolyn Franks buys a replica apatosaurus from an Anaheim auction house and installs it at the zoo at 31791 Los Rios St. in San Juan Capistrano.

June 14: Jerry Nieblas, president of the Capistrano Historical Alliance Committee, demands that the city act to have the statue removed, saying it makes a "mockery of the history of San Juan Capistrano."

June 29: The city issues Franks an eviction notice for the statue. She appeals to the Planning Commission.

Aug. 14: The Planning Commission denies Franks' appeal.

Sept. 17: Instead of appealing the Planning Commission's decision to the City Council, Franks takes a new approach and applies for an amendment to her conditional use permit that would allow the statue and other structures.

Nov. 27: The Cultural Heritage Commission recommends that the Planning Commission find the statue consistent with the Los Rios Specific Plan.

Jan. 7: The Planning Commission denies the dinosaur statue again and delays a decision on the rest of Franks' proposal.

Feb. 12: The Planning Commission approves the proposed accessory structures with several conditions, including review by the city Design Review Committee.

March 12: A Planning Commission re-vote results in a tie, reversing its February decision on the accessory structures.

March 13: Franks decides to appeal the denial of the statue and the accessory structures to the City Council.

SZD4213 T Shirts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:09:00 +0000

We've created a direct link to our SZD4213 T-Shirts offered on CafePress.

Click here

Thank you for your support.

#SZD4213 #savejuan

#SZD4213

noreply@blogger.com (Zoomars) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:01:00 +0000

Help save the ZOOMARS' Dinosaur April 2nd,

6PM at San Juan City Hall.

Join our movement to SAVE ZOOMARS DINOSAUR .

Come to the zoo and sign a petition to keep our beloved Brontosaurus. As a special thanks, we'll give you a FREE WRISTBAND to wear with pride, embossed with our SZD4213 message.

#zoomars #savejuan #SZD4213

Juan Rejected on Re Vote

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:28:00 +0000

Zoo's plans rejected on commission re-vote; council appeal next

FOR THE REGISTER

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – A Planning Commission decision to allow additions at Zoomars Petting Zoo, including a fossil dig area, a replica Old West building facade and several shade structures, was effectively reversed on a tie vote by the panel Tuesday night after questions about the original resolution prompted a re-vote.

The commission voted 3-2 in February to approve the proposal with several conditions. But Deputy City Attorney Alisha Patterson said city staff, in writing the final resolution, recommended a re-vote to make sure the resolution would reflect what the commission approved.

JOSH FRANCIS, REGISTER FILE PHOTO

Zoomars Petting Zoo owner Carolyn Franks poses last summer in front of the zoo's 13-foot-tall apatosaurus replica with San Juan Capistrano artist Art Guevara, who is holding his painting of the dinosaur. Franks is appealing the San Juan Planning Commission's rejection of the statue to the City Council.

Commissioner Sheldon Cohen said Tuesday that because Neely was absent, it might be unfair to vote on the item. But Bill Ramsey, the city's assistant director of development services, said Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks requested a final vote. Commissioner Tim Neely, who voted in favor of the proposal the first time, was absent Tuesday, leading to a tie on the re-vote. A tie is considered a rejection.

Franks said Wednesday that she wasn't happy with the commission's conditions, and that appealing a rejection to the City Council is a better option for her.

At the commission's Feb. 12 meeting, it decided the plans should go before the city's Design Review Committee, that the location of the structures should be moved and that Franks should consult JuaneÃ±o Indian groups about the aesthetics of the reed hut.

"Every time I go back, it's like they keep requiring me to change my plans," Franks said. "My plan has now been so botched it's not even reflective of what I'm asking for."

The commissioners made no additional comments about the issue Tuesday.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Franks is taking both the proposed additions and the Planning Commission's rejection of the zoo's 40-foot-long dinosaur statue to the City Council on appeal. Both issues may go to the council April 2.

The Planning Commission twice has turned down Frank's attempts to gain approval for the replica apatosaurus that the zoo installed in June without city permits. On Jan. 8, the commission voted against allowing the dinosaur as part of a proposed prehistoric garden. The panel opted to vote on the zoo's other proposals separately.

Franks said she will seek to combine the appeals so that one council vote could determine the fate of the statue and the other structures.

If the council rejects the dinosaur appeal, the zoo would have 15 days to remove the statue or face fines.

SJC Chamber Supports Juan!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 23:58:00 +0000

Original article posted here

SJC Chamber Supports the Zoomars Dinosaur

GUEST COLUMNS, SOAPBOX | MARCH 8, 2013 BY STAFF | 0 COMMENTS

By Mark Bodenhamer, CEO of the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce

Mark Bodenhamer

One of the best aspects of my job is frequently agreeing with the people that I’m technically “disagreeing” with. In other words, I find that people speaking in opposition to a Chamber policy usually have the same goals and big picture vision that we do; it’s subtle nuances and minor differences of perspective that put us on opposing sides of an issue.

For example, we might advocate for relaxed sign ordinances yet totally understand those who want to protect the charm of the community by avoiding too many signs, banners, etc. I take that as a sign of how good things are in San Juan Capistrano and how many people are passionate about doing what’s best for the community. The issue of the dinosaur at Zoomars fits this model exactly; I understand the spirit of the arguments against the statue but the Chamber believes it’s right to keep the statue where it is.

The three main questions that drove the Chamber’s decision were: One, what precedents have been set? Two, how will it impact the Los Rios Historic District? And three, what is best for the community overall?

“Precedent” in the Los Rios District is a little hard to pin down. It’s still a residential neighborhood but a stroll down the street obviously highlights many variances from that. I’m no historian, but I think it’s safe to say gift shops and outdoor dining weren’t part of the historic fabric of the neighborhood. Yet they’ve become a fun and welcomed facet of Los Rios Street and are a big part of what draws visitors to experience the area. More specific to Zoomars, the most obvious precedent-setter is the train ride. Its addition to the property signifies that a prior council determined that features above and beyond a “petting zoo” are appropriate.

Protecting the historic appeal of Los Rios and its special designations is very important to the Chamber. We believe efforts to preserve history are greatly valuable to the community. However, we feel that the dinosaur doesn’t significantly detract from the overall historic appeal of the neighborhood. The statue has been on the property at Zoomars for the better part of a year and Los Rios still feels like Los Rios.

The statue isn’t directly on, or even visible from, Los Rios Street. It’s tucked back in a space that actually isn’t part of the most highly restricted part of the Los Rios District’s historic zone. There have been more visitors at Zoomars but not so many that it’s substantively disrupting residents or other businesses.

The final factor in our position was the Chamber’s belief that keeping the dinosaur statue is good for San Juan Capistrano overall. Keeping the dinosaur means adding an activity for kids that is educational, outdoors and doesn’t involve a screen, such as an iPad or video game. Keeping the dinosaur also sends a message that our city supports business and economic development.

Communities, especially those like San Juan Capistrano whose economy is highly reliant on tourism revenue, are always looking for ways to bring in new visitors and create tax revenue that supports the city’s operations. The dinosaur statue has proven to do just that, at no cost to our city.

Zoomars Petting Zoo is a great local business that brings joy to children from all over the region. It attracts thousands of tourists who can experience the beautiful history of Los Rios and all of San Juan Capistrano during their visit.

We want to encourage and promote their continued growth and respectfully urge the City Council to do so as well by approving the dinosaur statue.

Note: Carolyn Franks, owner of Zoomars, is a member of the Board of Directors for the SJC Chamber. Ms. Franks had an obvious conflict of interest and therefore was not a part of the board’s discussion of or vote on a position relative to this issue.

Mark Bodenhamer has served as CEO and executive director of the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce since 2010.

#Zoomars on the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 20:32:00 +0000

Do you #Zoomars?

They do.
Zoomars' Friends from around the internet.

Thanks for sharing such awesome photos!

Last, but not least...

This video is by our friend, Greg Herr.

The playlist alone is worth the watch.
Play loud my friends, play loud.

If you recognize one of your photos, please let us know in the comments.
Credit should always go to the creator!

SJC Pet Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 01:10:00 +0000

Zoomars Wrangler Nina shared a few photos of today's SJC Fiesta Associations

Kids Pet Parade

South County Magazine Feb 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:14:00 +0000

ZOOMARS has been featured in the February

issue of South County Magazine

Original article here.

"Family Fun"

ZOOMARS Petting Zoo offers inexpensive adventure and the perfect outing for families with young children

It’s no wonder Carolyn Franks is always smiling … as the owner and operator of ZOOMARS Petting Zoo, her days are defined by pony rides, hundreds of fluffy bunny rabbits and guinea pigs, creatures big and small and unforgettable children’s excursions punctuated by squeals of delight.Located in the heart of San Juan Capistrano’s historic district, ZOOMARS Petting Zoo opened in the early 1980s as a “backyard barnyard” called the Jones Family Mini Farm. Its buildings date back to the 1800s and the property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

All of its historic charm and innocent, affordable family entertainment opportunities weren’t lost on Carolyn when she literally “stumbled” upon the property as she and her former business partner (Carolyn had been working for over a decade in the pet industry and she and her partner owned several Orange County-based pet shops) were investigating real estate options online one fateful night in 2005.

“We had been searching for a place to do some breeding of exotic birds,” says Carolyn. “I remember being so excited by pictures of the animals, the kiddie train and all the old buildings that we jumped in the car and drove to San Juan. It was almost midnight and here I was walking around this little farm in my Ugg boots with a flashlight. The geese were honking so loudly and even though I was stumbling around the dark, I could envision so clearly what the place could be like. I knew there was nothing like it around and knew I had found a diamond in the rough.”

That year, the property’s owners Gil and Millie Jones decided to retire and sold the business to Carolyn and her partner. Since that time Carolyn expanded the local landmark, bought her business partner out and continues to grow its offerings – both in animal attractions and unique activities.

Today, ZOOMARS is home to many different kinds of animals, including goats, sheep, llamas, Zonkies (a hybrid zebra and donkey mix), a friendly cow, a giant tortoise and hundreds of bunnies and guinea pigs to feed, cuddle and love. ZOOMARS is an inexpensive adventure and the perfect outing for families with young children. Admission is $7 for adults and $6 for kids.** There are package deals too. You can purchase a ZAP PASS punch card for $75 which covers 20 admissions at just $3.75/visit or a Golden Ticket for $22 that includes a kid’s admission with feed basket, plus everything else the zoo offers like pony rides, train rides and gemstone mining.

From the minute you arrive at the ticket counter, you are greeted with smiles and happiness that is found throughout the zoo. If you need a quick lesson to hold a guinea pig, an extra pair of hands to set up a party, or a fun-loving miner to help your little guy strike gold, there is sure to be a caring zookeeper at every turn.

“The things I hear every day from people who have been coming to this petting zoo for years are just inspiring beyond words,” says Carolyn. “Especially when I hear things like, ‘I used to take my kids here and now I take my grandkids here.’ Wow, that’s so amazing to me. Sometimes when I’m feeling overwhelmed or had a challenging day, I just GOOGLE ZOOMARS and watch the stream of endless pictures, blogs and videos from moms and dads who have posted their child’s first pony ride or a story about the wonderful time everyone had at their 4-year- old’s birthday party. Then I sit back in my swivel chair and say, Yep, this what I do. How blessed am I that I can create these milestone memories for people? That feeling makes it all worth it.”

Connect with Carolyn by visiting ZOOMARS at 31791 Los Rios Street in San Juan Capistrano, by calling (949) 831-6550 or visit www.zoomars.com

**Please note, admission price incorrect; adults $8 & kids $7

Not a Wild West Sort of Town

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:34:00 +0000

Panel Ponders Zoomars Plans Sans Dino

The petting zoo's plans now include a depiction of the old, wild West. Officials weren't exactly saying, "Yeehaw."

By Penny Arévalo | SJC Patch

Original article here

Zoomars Petting Zoo moved ahead Tuesday with plans to revamp its offerings – sans Juan the dinosaur.

Last month, planning commissioners outright denied the now-famous Apatosaurus statue but said they wanted more details on the rest of the plans, which include a fossil dig area, shade structures and Native American huts.

Those plans came back to the San Juan Capistrano Planning Commission Tuesday night with a new addition of a Western town façade.

But it was as if Juan was still in the room. Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks said there’d be no reason to build the town front and fossil dig area if the City Council does not ultimately overrule the Planning Commission and let the dinosaur stay. A hearing is expected in April.

Commissioners said they weren’t in love with the Western façade, even though a painted version of one is now on the north end of the property.

“First it was the dinosaur, now a Western town,” said Jerry Nieblas, a long-time critic of Juan and president of the Capistrano Historical Alliance. “We were never a Western town. Gold mining, how does that represent San Juan Capistrano?”

Commission Chairman Robert Williams agreed, saying the Western town front seems tacked on.

“I don’t remember dinosaurs being around Western towns,” he said.

Franks said the only reason she proposed the façade was to respond to commissioners’ earlier requests to screen the dinosaur completely.

The commission voted 3-2, with Williams and Sheldon Cohen against, to conceptually approve the shade structures and Ajachemen village depiction – with plans to go to the Design Review Committee then back to the Planning Commission.

Approval of the Western façade and the fossil dig area would be contingent on what happens when the City Council takes up the issue of the dinosaur.

Juan's Last Stand

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:21:00 +0000

Zoo's planned additions go to San Juan commission Tuesday

Original article here

By JOSH FRANCIS / FOR THE REGISTER

San Juan Capistrano's Planning Commission will consider Tuesday night whether to allow Zoomars Petting Zoo a modified conditional use permit for construction of a Juaneno Indian-style reed hut, a fossil dig area, a replica Old West building and several shade structures.

The proposed additions are part of a plan to reorganize the zoo to create a farm area, an Old West town, an Acjachemen Indian village and a prehistoric garden. Zoomars owner Carolyn Franks said the four areas would chronicle San Juan Capistrano's past from prehistory to the 1800s.

Several planning commissioners had issues with the proposal at a recent meeting and agreed to postpone a decision on it. City staff is recommending approval.

The plan to be discussed Tuesday does not include the zoo's dinosaur statue, which the Planning Commission rejected in January, saying it is inappropriate for its neighborhood in the Los Rios Historic District. The statue was part of the zoo's overall proposal, but the commission voted on it separately.

Franks recently submitted an appeal of the commission's decision to the City Council. A date for the appeal hearing has not been set.

The 40-foot-long replica apatosaurus has been an attraction at the zoo since June, when it was installed without city permits. City staff ordered Franks to remove the dinosaur after receiving complaints from the Capistrano Historical Alliance Committee, a group of local residents that said the statue makes a "mockery" of the city's history. In August, the Planning Commission denied Franks' appeal of the eviction order, largely because she had not complied with the building approval process.

Tuesday's commission meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto.

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For Juan the apatosaurus, an eviction event in Capistrano

The statue of the leathery lizard was long a sore spot with San Juan Capistrano locals, who are having him removed from historic Los Rios Street and shipped to a tourist attraction in Arizona.

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4-2-13

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Council appeal could be last round-up for dinosaur statue

Council meeting

SZD4213 T Shirts

#SZD4213

Help save the ZOOMARS' Dinosaur April 2nd,

6PM at San Juan City Hall.

Join our movement to SAVE ZOOMARS DINOSAUR . Come to the zoo and sign a petition to keep our beloved Brontosaurus. As a special thanks, we'll give you a FREE WRISTBAND to wear with pride, embossed with our SZD4213 message.

#zoomars #savejuan #SZD4213

Juan Rejected on Re Vote

Zoo's plans rejected on commission re-vote; council appeal next

SJC Chamber Supports Juan!

SJC Chamber Supports the Zoomars Dinosaur

#Zoomars on the Internet

SJC Pet Parade

South County Magazine Feb 2013

Not a Wild West Sort of Town

Panel Ponders Zoomars Plans Sans Dino

Juan's Last Stand

Join our movement to SAVE ZOOMARS DINOSAUR .

Come to the zoo and sign a petition to keep our beloved Brontosaurus. As a special thanks, we'll give you a FREE WRISTBAND to wear with pride, embossed with our SZD4213 message.