WQIO Ohio's Super Station
A yearlong legal dispute between Liberty Township and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is moving toward a resolution after township trustees approved a settlement agreement that could provide the township with up to $875,000 over the next five years.
The dispute centered on a proposed admission charge the township intended to use to help offset the cost of providing fire and emergency medical services to the zoo.
Under the settlement approved by trustees Monday, the zoo will make an initial $150,000 payment to Liberty Township within five business days after the agreement becomes effective. The zoo would then make five annual payments of $115,000, beginning December 31, 2026.
The payments total $875,000 if the full agreement is carried out.
In exchange, Liberty Township will continue providing EMS services to the zoo.
The settlement also ends the proposed admission surcharge that was at the center of the legal fight. Trustees rescinded two resolutions associated with the township’s so-called “Protect and Serve” charge, effectively abandoning the fee.
The dispute began in 2025 when Liberty Township approved a $1 charge on certain zoo admissions and memberships. The township later reduced the proposed charge to 75 cents.
Township officials argued the fee was necessary to help cover the cost of fire and emergency medical services provided to the zoo.
The Columbus Zoo challenged the charge in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, arguing that the township did not have the authority to impose it and that the fee was disproportionate to the services the township provided.
The zoo argued that its own EMS and safety teams handle most medical and safety incidents involving visitors, while Liberty Township Fire Department provides assistance for major incidents requiring hospital transportation.
A visiting judge eventually ruled that the township had the authority under state law to impose the charge. The zoo appealed that decision to Ohio’s Fifth District Court of Appeals.
The legal landscape changed again this summer when state lawmakers repealed a 2025 law that allowed certain townships to impose a “protect and serve” charge on admissions to large, tax-exempt entertainment venues.
That change effectively prevented Liberty Township from collecting its proposed fee from Columbus Zoo visitors.
The dispute then shifted toward negotiations between the two sides.
Under the new settlement, the zoo’s annual payments are tied to Liberty Township continuing to provide EMS services at the zoo. If the township voluntarily stops providing those services during the five-year period, the zoo would no longer be required to make the remaining annual payments.
The agreement also states that the zoo may not obtain EMS services from another public entity or political subdivision while payments remain outstanding.
The Columbus Zoo said it was pleased to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.
“We believe resolving this matter is in the best interest of all involved and provides an opportunity to move forward.”
The settlement brings an end to a dispute that involved local taxation authority, emergency services and the financial relationship between one of the region’s largest attractions and the township that provides services to it.
