A More Permanent Closure of a Portion of Church Street Denied at Town Council Meeting

What may be confusing for anyone who hears that the Town Council has considered closing a portion of Church Street to motor vehicle traffic is the fact that it has been closed since late 2025 for construction work. The council’s consideration has merely been to make the closure more permanent by committing the portion between East Main Street and the parking lot behind 201 East Main for a pedestrian access pathway. Had this maneuver been made, the Town would continue to own that portion of Church Street and maintain it, while reserving the right to reopen it to vehicular traffic in the future. However, in a divided vote on August 24, the majority favored denial, with Councilman Glenn Wood and Councilwoman Melissa DeDomenico-Payne dissenting and favoring closure on a more permanent basis.

The Town Council met for a regular meeting on August 24 at Town Hall, a change of venue due to work being done at the government center. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh

What may be confusing for anyone who hears that the majority favored denial is the fact that the issue could easily be revisited in the future. Vice-Mayor Amber Veitenthal explained that she hopes to see this portion of Church Street dedicated to a pedestrian access pathway at the right time. However, that outcome is complicated by the construction work which will likely not be finished for six to nine months while the Town currently has not budgeted for the development of all the features such a pathway might entail. To Veitenthal, all of this is premature. But Wood sees an opportunity for entities such as Downtown Front Royal to begin pursuing grants for the project. DeDomenico-Payne addressed the concern raised in public input that selecting one street for this treatment unfairly favors a chosen few in downtown while neglecting the rest.

(L to R) Clerk of Council Hillary Wilfong, Town Manager Joseph Petty, and Town Attorney George Sonnett.

Her thoughts were that if the development does not harm other businesses, a profound advantage given to a few is not inappropriate. Following these remarks, Veitenthal expressed her strong desire to see the Murphy Theatre building thrive but reiterated her concern about the completion of construction and securing the funds before moving forward. Wood pointed out that the theatre entrance will not be in the section proposed for closure. If this ever gets off the ground, the pathway will provide continuity with parking on Peyton Street with continuous pedestrian access in between. Such continuity was recommended by a parking study done in 2019.

Andrew Schilling held the recognition he received for achieving Class 1 Virginia Wastewater Works Operator License.

Aligned with Veitenthal on the issue of timeliness were Councilmen Wayne Sealock and Joshua Ingram. Councilman Bruce Rappaport challenged the concept during a previous work session, asking, “Why Church Street?” Prior to the vote, he affirmed that the feedback he received was significantly negative towards the idea of closure, solidifying his resolve on this topic. In fact, public input was a dominant theme in the evening’s conversation, with council members expressing how much they have been impacted by what they heard from citizens. Clearly, the citizens, like the council, are divided on whether the closure is a good idea. But the consensus seems to support the council’s prevailing inclination to wait.

Planning Director Lauren Kopishke presented business items to the council.

Among other considerations that evening was a mural to exceed sixty square feet – approved – and a proposed junkyard on Kendrick Lane – denied. Also, the council upheld the Board of Architectural Review’s decision to deny a certificate of appropriateness for vinyl windows on a house in the historic district that dates to the Civil War. The applicant is in the process of reimagining how he might satisfy the BAR while tailoring the structure to his own needs. Veitenthal indicated that she has communicated with BAR members whom she believes are eager to have that conversation with the applicant.

The council convened a closed meeting to address matters pertaining to the Town Attorney.

Watch the Front Royal Town Council Work Session of August 24, 2026.