Banner law wait set to end tonight

Deirdre Newman

Sponsorship banners for youth sports teams can hang throughout their

seasons but will have to be displayed with militaristic precision if

city leaders pass a law Monday regulating the signs.

The law would cover sponsorship banners on public baseball and

softball fields and temporary signs advertising city-sponsored events

on public property.

The City Council was set to consider the law on Sept. 20 but opted

to wait two weeks because Councilwoman Libby Cowan was not at that

meeting. She has been working closely with staff members to refine

the proposed rules for banners. Temporary signs and banners are not

covered in the city’s zoning code.

The council began considering regulating banners because members

of the Mesa Verde Villa Homeowners Assn., who live near California

Elementary and TeWinkle middle schools, complained the banners were

visual eyesores.

Brent Mazur, the players’ representative for Costa Mesa National

Little League, said he’s glad rules for the banners are spelled out

in the proposed law.

“Now it’s defined,” Mazur said. “We don’t have to worry that our

Little Leaguers are blighting anyone’s property. They can just get

out there, play ball and have fun.”

Dirk Petchul, an attorney representing the homeowners’

association, could not be reached for comment.

The proposed rules would require certain users -- nonprofit

organizations that partner with the city, have at least 90% residents

on their teams and open registration regardless of skill level, and

provide an everyone-plays philosophy -- to get a permit from the

recreation manager to put up sponsorship banners.

The banners should be displayed only on the outfield fences and

can only face the field’s interior. They can’t be more than 32 square

feet. Other provisions include making sure the banners’ surfaces are

tautly fastened to the fences by a minimum of four contact points.

Sponsors give money to the teams, which enables players to

participate at an affordable price. Because the banners can hang

throughout the sports seasons, they will continue to honor the

sponsors in a prominent fashion, Mazur said.

Mayor Gary Monahan said he was disappointed that complaints about

the banners have led to the city getting involved.

“I think it’s too much government regulation,” Monahan said.

“We’ve had banners for 30 years or more -- since I was a little kid.

I may support it if that’s what it takes. But it’s a lot of time

spent over a very trivial issue.”

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers government. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected].