Oppose the Armory Incubator
Oppose the Cannabis Incubator at the Catonsville Armory

About

The Issue

The State of Maryland is planning to convert the Catonsville Armory into the country’s first state-run cannabis incubator exclusively for social equity licenses and micro-businesses. The incubator space is being developed in partnership with the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO). The decision to use the Catonsville Armory building was made without public input. We are asking for widely publicized community meetings to discuss the future of the Catonsville Armory. Our elected representatives must listen to community concerns. We expect transparency, input, and consideration.

The armory sits at 130 Mellor Ave , in the middle of a dense residential neighborhood, a few hundred feet from Catonsville Elementary School (my children’s school, perhaps yours), and is adjacent to a temple and a day care. According to budget testimony , the incubator could support up to 110 cannabis microprocessors and microdispensaries by providing secure storage as well as a shared commercial kitchen and other equipment to process cannabis into different products such as vapes or edibles. It will also be managed by an unidentified nonprofit with no defined qualifications.

Affected residents may have some of the following concerns:

  • Location: 130 Mellor Ave is located in a residential neighborhood. It is across the street from a popular walking trail, ball fields, and Catonsville Elementary School
  • Why weren’t any of the other 37 sites identified in the MEDCO report suitable? Most are zoned commercial or industrial.
  • The storage of cannabis at the incubator poses additional security concerns
  • Nuisance smells from the processing of cannabis while the elementary kids are playing outside or bothering nearby residents.
  • Mellor Ave. already has traffic issues at certain times of day due to the proximity to Catonsville High and Catonsville Elementary
  • The lack of transparency. Why was no effort made to inform residents, take input from the community, or to hear our concerns?

Maryland’s current zoning regulations do not allow cannabis processors to locate in residential areas. The Catonsville Armory is owned by the state, so the zoning rules do not apply, but it seems clear that this location goes against the spirit of those regulations. Also, while the cannabis incubator is not a dispensary, there is a prohibition regarding the location of dispensaries (HB0805 from June 1, 2024 ). Standard Dispensaries cannot locate within 500 feet of a primary school, secondary school, child care center, playground, recreation center, library, place of worship, or public park.

Background

The Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) completed a study in 2023 identifying 37 possible sites for the incubator , and the armory building was not on that list. Our elected decision-makers have given the green light to use the Catonsville Armory instead without public notification or input.

Local news outlets picked up on this last November, at which time Councilman Pat Young commented that “..there’s still public input meetings, there’s still feasibility studies that have to take place” (WBAL November 21, 2024 ). That has not happened.

It is now being reported that funding in the amount of $5-7 million in State money has been approved and construction will begin in July 2025 at the site. (Baltimore Sun May 28, 2025)

What can you do?

Now is the time to speak up!

Whether or not you support cannabis rights, creating a cannabis incubator, or spending up to $7 million on such a project, the community where this business is to be located should have been informed and should have had their input considered.

There are plenty of other opportunities in the State to create a safe and secure space for business growth in existing commercial or industrial areas after clear communication and public input.

Contact your local and state representatives! For Catonsville residents, that is Governor Wes Moore , State Senator Charles Sydnor , State Delegates Alethia McCaskill and Sheila Ruth , and our Baltimore County District 1 Councilman Pat Young .