Council approves temporary extension for Riverside Brewery alcohol license until May 31

The Common Council on Feb. 2 approved a recommendation from the Licensing Board to extend Riverside Brewery’s alcohol license through May 31 to allow the owners time to attempt a sale.

City attorney Ian presented a complaint saying Riverside Brewery “has not operated since [August]” and cited municipal code provision read aloud during the meeting as 12.213, which the attorney paraphrased to state that a license “shall lapse” if a licensee does not conduct at least 100 hours of licensed activity in any continuous 90‑day period. Ian told the board the clerk’s office initiated the complaint after receiving no evidence of regular operation.

A member of the Licensing Board moved to recommend a 90‑day extension to permit time for a sale. The board settled on May 31 as the practical cut‑off date for the extension and approved the recommendation by voice vote.

At the Common Council meeting later that evening, the council accepted the board’s recommendation. The transcript records Alderman Aaron Zingscheid as making the motion and Alderman Bill Schmidt as seconding it; the council approved the extension by voice vote with the chair abstaining from voting.

Ian also reported the board had received an email from a person identifying themselves as Mr. Kynes (pronunciation uncertain in the record) stating the owners would not contest the complaint if the city chose to revoke the license. Council members and staff noted that if operations have not resumed by May 31 the matter would return for nonrenewal or further hearing as part of the normal licensing and renewal cycle.

The council did not take additional enforcement action at the meeting; next steps are procedural — either bringing the matter back for a hearing or proceeding with nonrenewal at renewal season if the license remains inactive.