WASHINGTON COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Town of Farmington Town Board weighed in on zoning concerns Tuesday night, that could determine the future of the Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary. 

The board members passed an amendment that would permit the zoo to engage in "zoological activities."

Shalom says the ordinance defines zoological activities as breeding animals, hosting visitor centers, offering trails, selling food and beverage, and hosting special events. 

This comes amid the zoo facing a lawsuit by neighbors who say Shalom never should have been allowed to open. 

With their lawsuit, the group aims to revoke the conditional use permit first granted in 1995.

In a statement on their Facebook page, Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary said, in part:

"There is still much work ahead of us in the lawsuit, but this was a big step forward. Our hope is that this new ordinance will moot out the claims raised against us in the lawsuit by our neighbors. Because our business is now allowed to engage in zoological activities, we no longer need to seek a conditional use permit to operate."