For six hours, a Howard County board on Thursday discussed whether a go-kart track built without permission on a homeowner’s property could be considered an outdoor athletic facility or field.

At the meeting’s conclusion, the county’s Board of Appeals unanimously determined the track met the definition of an athletic field. The decision means the board this month will hear the homeowner’s case for a conditional use permit to keep the track that he built for his son, a motorsports lover.

If the board had reached a different conclusion, the homeowner, Chris Siperko, may have had to tear up the track in Western Howard County.

In many ways, Thursday’s hearing was like a court trial. Each side had the opportunity to present opening statements and exhibits and to call witnesses.

Siperko built the track last year for his son on their 11-acre property in the Highland community, but he did so without the necessary county and state permits.

The Greater Highland Crossroads Association joined Siperko’s neighbors in opposing the go-kart track, located off Mink Hollow Road. The association called the track an “inappropriate, obtrusive and illegal use in our rural residential zone.”

Siperko has said he built the track because his family travels to Florida every weekend so their 11-year-old son can train. The family previously said their son sacrifices time away from friends and family and having a track at home would prevent that.

However, Siperko said his son has hardly gotten to use the track.

Siperko said his son drove around it for about 15 minutes; since then, the track has sat dormant. He’s trying to get county officials to reconsider and allow his son to practice on it.

After building the track, Siperko retroactively submitted a conditional use application in August of last year.

But in March, Katherine Taylor, a county hearing examiner, dismissed Siperko’s conditional use petition, citing a lack of jurisdiction because go-kart racing is not a permitted activity under the county code.

Siperko appealed the dismissal to the county’s four-member Board of Appeals, which on Thursday agreed with him and his attorney, Sang Oh. It will hear his appeal June 26.

Oh said on behalf of his client Thursday, “I see a resident who is trying to provide an amenity for his son to reach his goals. He didn’t do every bit of due diligence he should have. He will admit to that. I know that he wishes he were not in this situation, but he did it with the intent to help his family.”

Siperko said he didn’t seek permits because he didn’t know he needed to. He also faces concerns and pushback from his neighbors and other county residents. Many are not fans of the track.

G. Macy Nelson, a land-use and environmental attorney representing Siperko’s neighbors, asked the Board of Appeals to dismiss the case. Nelson said the county’s Department of Planning and Zoning made the correct decision

“Go to any nearby school and you will see an athletic field, football, soccer, lacrosse, not a go-kart racetrack for professional race training. So we think the DPZ correctly determined that the applicant is not eligible to apply for conditional use,” Nelson said.