Publications & Sites 
Glenview considers scoreboard restrictions
WHAT: regulating athletic field scoreboards
WHY: scoreboards were never regulated
WHERE: the new scoreboard at Glenbrook South High School
Updated: October 14, 2012 12:22PM
GLENVIEW
The new sports scoreboard at Glenbrook South High School has prompted changing village code for churches, schools, the park district and nonprofits.
On Tuesday, Glenview trustees gave initial approval to amending the proposed codes. They could vote for final changes at the Sept. 18 board meeting.
The new requirements would allow outdoor scoreboards that have already been erected at Glenbrook South, Loyola Academy and Westbrook School.
The issue came up when Glenview South staff met with village officials about its scoreboard containing business advertising. None of the scoreboards had received village regulatory review and were not given building permits for installation; however, a village review found a majority of nearby municipalities do not regulate scoreboards.
“Generally, if scoreboards did not face the street, they were not considered a sign,” stated a village report.
The report to trustees recommended several new regulations for future scoreboards, such as: allowing one per athletic field; the image must face the field and/or spectators; and if facing a street they must be more than 250 feet away.
Other proposed recommendations dealt with size and supported non-flashing advertisements.
On Aug. 14, the Plan Commission voted 3-0 to approve the scoreboard amendments, and no one spoke during the public comment session. The school districts and park district did not oppose the amendments.
At Tuesday’s board meeting, Trustee Pat Cuisinier voted against staff recommendations for sports fields.
“I know how to keep score. I don’t need a scoreboard,” he said, adding advertisements also were not needed.
“I like these guidelines. I see these limitations and not as an expanding list,” said Village President Kerry Cummings.
On July 16, the 225 School Board OK’d advertising on scoreboards at Glenbrook north and south.
The advertising space is available at $5,000 per year by the panel for a minimum of five years. Each scoreboard can accommodate eight 2-foot by 5-foot panels.
Two panels can be purchased for $10,000 per year or in additional five-year increments, said Kimberly Ptak, the district’s director of operations and purchasing.
The seven sponsors will bring a total of $300,000 to the district in the next five years to help fund artificial turf fields at both schools. The agreements began Aug. 1 and end July 30, 2017.
The trustees authorized the installation of artificial turf at both sport fields for $3.5 million.
Installation was recently completed at the south campus, while construction begins in summer 2013 at Glenbrook North in Northbrook.
