Banners have festooned county ball-field fences for years, advertising businesses and generating thousands of dollars for youth sports programs.
But the signs are illegal under county code.
Now, prompted by a complaint, county lawmakers want to make an exemption for ball-park banners.
“It raises such a revenue stream, and I think the county needs to support youth leagues that aren?t benefiting from taxpayer money,” said Council Chairwoman Courtney Watson, D-District 1.
She will introduce a measure Monday that allows banners to be displayed on fences, facing the field, from March 1 through Dec. 1.
County officials received a call last year about banners at Kiwanis-Wallas Park in EllicottCity, the first complaint filed for ballpark banners, said Bob Frances, director of Licenses, Inspections and Permits.
The signs, which hang about eight months per year, were removed by the time inspectors visited the field, so no citation was issued, Frances said.
The county?s sports programs rely on the revenue, $500 a sign, for scholarships and field maintenance.
“It?s our second-largest source of revenue, after registration fees,” said Tim Arnett, baseball director for the Howard County Youth Program.
Taking down the signs also would deliver a blow to the Soccer Association of Columbia, which relies on the money to help about 200 of the 6,000 children participate for free, said Jim Carlan, the association?s chief operating officer.
The association also receives in-kind services, such as landscaping, in exchange for a sign, he said.
“It costs a tremendous amount of money to operate these facilities,” Carlan said.
