PEWAUKEE, Wis. — As summer heats up and schools let out, Pewaukee Beach is seeing a surge in visitors, prompting both safety concerns and new measures from local officials to maintain order at the popular lakefront destination.
On Tuesday, village trustees discussed complaints from business owners and residents about crowded conditions, inappropriate behavior, and traffic safety issues around the beach area.
"The traffic keeps me up at night," said Village Trustee Kristen Kreuser.
Full Board Meeting:
She noted she's seen drivers not paying attention while driving by and people not using cross walks.
In May, the village board created an ordinance prohibiting "cruising" — driving repeatedly back and forth on Wisconsin Avenue — in an effort to improve safety, traffic congestion and noise.
Watch: Pewaukee beachgoers, board members tackle complaints as summer arrives
Tom, who regularly brings his great-niece Aubrey to the beach, has noticed some of the issues firsthand.
"Some of the kids, they need to slow down on the language when you've got little ones here," he said.
He also mentioned problems with drivers showing off their vehicles. "They just like to rev it up and let you take a look at it — I don't have to see it like 5 or 6 different times."
Police Chief Tim Heier said during the meeting that they've issued four warnings for people revving their engines.
He noted they have not made any arrests or citations since issues started arising this summer.
Some ideas brought up at Tuesday's meeting included a family-only section of the beach, more signage for picking up trash, signage for crossing safety, and planning for high peak times especially when school lets out.
No action was taken but crosswalks are expected to be repainted next week, weather permitting, according to Village Trustee Jim Grabowski.
Other beachgoers report no significant problems that would diminish their experience.
"I feel like a lot of people enjoy coming here, but I don't see any problems," said Amalia Slavens.
In response to some of the concerns, police have increased their presence at the beach, though they emphasize the approach is preventative rather than punitive.
Since stationing cops during high-usage hours (3-8 p.m.), Chief Heier said he has seen nothing but positive come out of the response, noting during the meeting that officers have been making frequent stops at businesses.
"It's not about writing tickets. It's not about cuffing and stuffing kids in the back of police cars or anything like that. It was just to have presence," said Grabowski.
The increased police efforts started on June 11 on the same day when a consensual wrestling fight happened according to the police chief. However, no arrests or citations were made and the people involved were interviewed and escorted out.
The increased police visibility has been well-received by many visitors, including regular beachgoer Jayda Kelly.
"If there is anything, there is usually a police car here like monitoring because there is so many people, so if there is any issues, they're definitely being dealt with in a timely manner," Kelly said.
Despite the concerns, many families continue to enjoy the beach as a summer destination. Tom plans to keep bringing Aubrey throughout the season.
"We go ahead and we like to enjoy it. Just the time together," he said.
This story was reported on-air by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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