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Village board approves Lake Andrea beer garden license with conditions
Summary
The Village Board approved a license agreement allowing Jay Ziemba Enterprises LLC to operate a Lake Andrea beer garden in Prairie Springs Park, subject to execution of termination agreements by current license holders and required permits; the agreement specifies rent terms and a limited license term.
The Village of Pleasant Prairie Board voted to approve a license agreement allowing Jay Ziemba Enterprises LLC to operate the Lake Andrea beer garden in Prairie Springs Park.
The agreement, presented by village staff, would place the beer garden along the park’s southwest shore under a license running from March 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Under the proposed terms, the licensee must obtain all required permits, including a village liquor license. Peak-season rent was set at $2,000 per month or 12% of gross beer-garden sales — whichever is higher — while non-peak season rent is 12% of gross sales.
Staff told trustees the location matches the past two seasons and that the license being considered mirrors prior agreements with other operators. The license is contingent on two documents: termination and surrender agreements from the current license holders (Boxcar Brews LLC and Barrel Boys Hospitality LLC) so the village can issue the new license.
Resident Brett Brandenburg urged the board to reconsider siting commercial activities on the lake’s west shore, calling that area the lake’s only safe swimming and nonmotorized boating zone and arguing taxpayers would not recoup large capital costs if the village built permanent festival infrastructure. "A $45,000,000 price tag — I'm not sure where $45,000,000 is gonna come from," Brandenburg said during public comment.
Village staff responded that approving the license or the parks master plan does not itself commit village funds to construction; any specific projects would return to the board for separate approvals. Trustees asked staff to confirm state rules determine the liquor-license year; staff confirmed the state sets the liquor-license year and peak season was defined as Memorial Day to Labor Day in the presentation.
Trustee (speaker 3) moved approval and the motion passed. The approval includes the conditions described by staff; if the current licensees do not execute required termination agreements, the new license will not proceed.
The board’s action was procedural authorization of the license agreement; construction, financing or long-term site changes would require later approvals and permits.
