Village approves Catholic Memorial site changes but keeps tournament and alcohol limits; allows limited music with conditions

The Village of Waukesha planning commission and village board reviewed and acted on several requested amendments to Catholic Memorial High School’s site plan and plan-of-operation on May 8, 2025.

The school sought a set of operational changes for its athletic complex: a smaller reoriented concession building, permission for 1–5 food trucks on-site while the concession building is constructed, removal of a 15-tournament-per-year limit, limited amplified music, and the ability to seek temporary Class B alcohol permits for non-WIAA tournament events.

What the village decided
- Site plan change: The planning commission recommended and the village board approved a revised concession building footprint and orientation as requested.
- Food trucks: Staff said the village’s current ordinance does not permit commercial food-truck services on the property. The planning commission and board concluded they could not approve the food-truck request without a separate village-wide food-truck ordinance; food trucks remain disallowed under current code.
- Tournament limit: The planning commission recommended keeping the existing cap; the village board voted to limit tournaments to 15 per year for this season, with the expectation the school can return next year for re-evaluation. Several board members said they would consider revisiting the limit with a full season’s operational data.
- Amplified sound/music: The commission recommended modifying the existing condition that prohibited music. The board approved music at events under defined restrictions: sound must not exceed 75 decibels at any property line; music should be limited to portable Bluetooth or similar speakers with less than 50 watts total output power; and hours of amplification are limited (8:00 a.m.–9:30 p.m.). The approval explicitly disallowed concerts and fixed-house sound systems.
- Alcohol (Class B permit) requests: The petitioner sought ability to apply for temporary Class B alcohol permits for non‑WIAA tournaments. The planning commission recommended denial of that expansion; the village board accepted the recommendation, keeping alcohol allowance limited to the previously approved special events and not extending it broadly to tournaments.

Key context and staff guidance
Sean (planning staff) said the concession building change involved a slightly smaller structure and the elimination of team rooms; stormwater and site utilities were unchanged. He noted the permit issued after the March 2024 approval included a required 1-year review clause, and this meeting served as that annual review.

Dan Demeritt, the school’s general manager of athletics, told the commission Catholic Memorial has submitted its 15-tournament schedule and expects to host primarily youth baseball and softball events. He said construction delays will likely delay operations until after Memorial Day and that the school plans to install artificial turf and complete the concession building later in the summer.

Several commissioners and trustees stressed resident impacts. Concerns centered on: potential intensity and frequency of weekend tournaments; on-site versus local economic benefits from food concessions; sound-management and enforcement; and alcohol at youth-centric events. Several trustees urged holding the school to the same limitations that other nearby facilities accepted previously.

Enforcement and follow-up
The board added a condition that Catholic Memorial return for another annual review in February 2026 to evaluate how the site operated under the revised conditions and to consider future requests. Staff will monitor compliance with the sound limits and the 15-tournament condition, and the board clarified that if the village adopts an ordinance allowing food trucks in the future, the school would need to reapply for any operational amendment.

Direct quotes (from meeting)
- Tammy Robbie (public comment on a different item) and other residents expressed concerns about headlights and neighborhood impacts. (See transcript.)
- Dan Demeritt (Catholic Memorial): “We are asking if there's a need for the number. We'd love to host as many tournaments as we can… 15 would restrict us and limit us in that regard.”

What the approvals mean for the school
Catholic Memorial can proceed with the adjusted concession building plan and operate under the clarified conditions for tournaments and amplified sound. Food‑truck service and expanded alcohol service remain limited by existing village ordinances; any change to those points will require separate village action. The board’s February 2026 review will be the next formal checkpoint.

Notes on enforcement and limits
Staff and trustees stressed the village’s ability to require future amendments, to require annual reviews, and to use permit renewals to address noncompliance. Temporary Class B alcohol permits remain a board-level action on a per‑occasion basis for qualifying special events under current policy.