Council approves conditional use permit for banquet hall at 2120 N. Green Bay Road after questions on parking and security

The Waukegan City Council voted on Dec. 1 to grant a conditional use permit for a banquet hall at 2120 N. Green Bay Road (the SIP/banquet space at a single address). Applicant Elizabeth Marrero told the Community Development Committee that the building has roughly 99 spaces in a rear lot, two distinct event spaces with separate bars, and that the restaurant upstairs would generally close earlier than the banquet operations.

During committee review and at council, aldermen asked about parking capacity for drop‑off and pick‑up, how food and alcohol service would be managed between upstairs and downstairs spaces, last‑call times, and responsibility for security and crowd control in the parking area after events. Marrero said the banquet hall would provide on‑site security and had met with police to discuss requirements; staff confirmed the conditional use permit can include a required, police‑department‑approved security plan as a condition.

Council members also discussed process questions about why the item was on the council agenda the same night rather than two weeks later; zoning staff explained that an original conditional use ordinance for the site included non‑transferable language, which required a new CUP for this operator. The council approved the CUP by roll call vote.