Front Royal approves flea market changes with higher annual fee

Three day weekends are now legal – at least for flea markets – in Front Royal. Photo/Roger Bianchini

On Tuesday, October 11, the Front Royal Town Council unanimously approved the second reading of a change to its code on the operations of flea markets in the town limits.  And while the vote to add Fridays to the weekend days of operations and alter the fee structure passed unanimously, it wasn’t before a split 4-2 vote on an amendment to lower the annual fee approved two weeks earlier.

In addition to adding a weekend day requested by the flea market proprietor, the vote of September 25 altered the fee structure from either $10 a year or $1 a day for individual vendors, to $500 per year to be paid by the flea market proprietor.  An initial August 14 attempt to approve a new code failed to reach a vote when the motion to approve the changes with the originally-proposed $250 annual fee did not achieve a second.

At the second reading of October 11, John Connolly again took up the fight for the lower fee structure.  He made the initial motion to approve the new ordinance as originally approved two weeks earlier with a $500 annual fee to the proprietor of the flea market.  That motion was seconded by William Sealock.

Connolly then offered an amendment to his own motion, lowering the annual fee back to $250 a year.  He explained that from conversations with flea market vendors, it was believed the higher annual fee on the proprietor of Andrick’s Flea Market would force a hike in the weekly fee to vendors.  However, only Gary Gillespie, who seconded the amended motion, sided with Connolly on lowering the fee.

It appeared the council majority may still have simmering issues with a six-year gap in collection of any fees from the flea market – even though it appeared some in that majority accepted that the fault for that gap lay with town staff.  That failure apparently came in failing to fill a void when there was an agreement that the old fee system needed to be changed or was somehow legally flawed.

The code as approved adds Fridays with a Special Use Permit “subject to standards and review” and adds the potential of a Farmer’s Market being added to the flea market.

During discussion prior to the first vote on September 25, council appeared to accept Connolly’s assessment that the flea market was an economic and “strategic asset” in its attraction of, not only local but out of the area vendors and customers generating a variety of types of revenue for the community.

Front Royal flea markets are also allowed to open on holidays.