CATONSVILLE, Md. — A Baltimore County administrative law judge ruled this week that live concerts and events at The Vortex, an outdoor music venue in Catonsville, are a "prohibited use" under local zoning rules.
"I find that live concerts and events that have been conducted and are proposed to be conducted on the property constitute Live Musical Entertainment which is a prohibited use in this DR [Density Residential] 5.5 zone," wrote judge Derek J. Baumgardner in a June 15 ruling.
The opinion came after a group of neighbors raised concerns about loud noise, windows shaking, and difficulty sleeping, said Alex Votaw, an attorney representing the neighbors.
Judge calls live concerts at Catonsville venue ‘prohibited use’
"My clients have been experiencing, and the community has been experiencing, hours on hours on hours of loud, pulsing noise with a very loud bass," Votaw told WMAR-2 News on Wednesday..
Votaw said the zoning designation for the property does not allow for the type of entertainment The Vortex has been hosting.
"Under the zone that applies to this property," Votaw explained, "live musical entertainment is not a permitted use. That's actually a specific use in the zoning ordinance that is limited to certain zones to mitigate that impact caused by noise."
“My clients have raised several times the issue of, is this use allowed on this property at all?” Votaw added.
The Vortex opened a few years ago on a leased area at CAA Park on Ingleside Avenue. It is operated by a nonprofit called the Music City Maryland Association.
Dennis Barth, managing director of the Music City Maryland Association, said the venue had become a valued gathering place for many in Catonsville, designated Baltimore County's only Arts and Entertainment District.
Barth told WMAR-2 News the venue had been embraced by the larger community, and that the organization had worked to address noise concerns.
"We've planted trees. We actually put insulation in the stage. We take decibel readings to make sure we're following the state codes," Barth said.
WMAR-2 News previously covered The Vortex in 2025, reporting on the group who started it and the community impact they aimed to make.
READ MORE: 'It’s about leaving a legacy for the town of Catonsville'
"This project has been a passion of ours, and, we've worked extremely hard over a number of years to get where we are today," Barth added.
According to the judge's ruling, any party has 30 days to appeal.
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