The city of Baltimore has created the North Harbor Downtown Baltimore area of special sign control to promote tourism and economic development.  The district will permit up to 20,227 square feet of digital billboards at 14 locations.  Two of the 14 properties involve land owned by the City of Baltimore.   Some other details of the program:

• 15-20% of the LED flips must be granted to Go Downtown Baltimore for local art and civic promotion.
• The signs must meet light mitigation standards.
• Baltimore Brew reports that the quasi public Downtown Partnership of Baltimore will manage the ad program and receive a 1% cut of the ad revenue, with another 4% of revenue going to 4 Baltimore arts and entertainment districts.
• The billboards will be subject to Baltimore’s $15/square foot digital billboard tax which will equate to taxes in excess of $303,406/year on 20,227 square feet of digital signage.

Billboard Insider’s take:  A good step.  Baltimore gets tax revenue, income as landlord at 2 of the 14 sign locations, advertising to promote civic causes and money to support local arts.  Digital billboards can benefit a community.  Look what Baltimore-based Shanklin Media does with the Baltimore Art Board.

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