The zoo's $1 ticket surcharge is ending.
Liberty Township trustees on Aug. 11, approved a settlement with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium that ends more than a year of litigation over who pays for fire and EMS coverage at the zoo on West Powell Road. Under the deal, the zoo will pay the township $150,000 upfront and $115,000 annually for five years beginning Dec. 31, 2026.
"This settlement is a win for Liberty Township taxpayers," township administrator Cathy Buehrer said in a press release. "It ends the litigation, covers our legal expenses, and provides a five-year revenue stream to our fire department's budget. Every dollar of this settlement goes to fire and EMS funds."
All settlement funds go directly to the Liberty Township Fire Department's budget, according to Buehrer.
What changes for zoo visitors
The township will formally rescind its "Protect and Serve Fee," the per-ticket surcharge that had been added to zoo admissions since July 2025. The fee started at $1 and was later reduced to 75 cents. Once the settlement takes effect, visitors will no longer pay it.
What the zoo gives up
The zoo must dismiss its pending appeal before Ohio's Fifth District Court of Appeals, which challenged the township's authority to impose the fee. In January 2026, visiting Judge Richard Frye had ruled the charge was legal, finding that the zoo qualifies as an event venue under House Bill 315. The zoo appealed that ruling.
The settlement also includes an exclusivity clause: the zoo cannot procure emergency services from any other public entity until Liberty Township has been fully compensated. The zoo may, however, contract with a private EMS provider at any time. During the dispute, the zoo had contracted with Ultra EMS.
How the dispute unfolded
The fight began in July 2025 when Liberty Township approved the $1 surcharge under HB 315, a state law allowing townships to charge up to $1 per admission at large, tax-exempt venues. The Columbus Zoo sued the township on Aug. 6, 2025, in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, arguing the law targeted "large concert venues," not a "private, not-for-profit zoological institution."
After the zoo lost in court and appealed, state lawmakers repealed HB 315 in June 2026, blocking the township from collecting the fee going forward. That prompted Gov. Mike DeWine to bring both sides together to negotiate.
The zoo's internal safety teams handle the majority of guest medical incidents on-site. Liberty Township's fire department responds to major medical situations requiring hospital transport, which the zoo said account for less than 3 percent of the township's total community services, according to Delaware Source.
The zoo said in a statement obtained by Delaware Source that it was "pleased to have reached a mutually agreeable resolution" and called the deal "in the best interest of all involved."
What's next
The zoo's first annual payment of $115,000 is due Dec. 31, 2026. The annual payments are contingent on Liberty Township continuing to provide EMS services to the zoo. If the township voluntarily stops providing those services, the zoo would no longer owe the remaining installments.
