Happy Creek Antiques Will Accommodate a Farmer’s Market After Special Use Permit Approved by Town Council

“That is exactly what they should be doing,” said Mayor Lori Cockrell, explaining the absence of the Front Royal boys’ baseball little league team from the Town Council meeting on Monday, July 28, since they were practicing for their regional competition in Georgia on Thursday. The mayor had originally intended to recognize them for the pride they recently earned for their hometown when they won the state championship, marking the first time since 1961 that Front Royal’s boys’ little league has had that honor. Nevertheless, Cockrell honored them even in their absence, expressing the extreme enthusiasm shared by so many who would stand at 5 a.m. on the side of Commerce Avenue to cheer the team as a police escort conducted the team’s bus to Exit 6 on their southbound trip.

The Town Council conducts the monthly regular meeting on the evening of Monday, July 28. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

The agenda for the evening’s meeting was light, consisting of one public hearing and reports from the town manager, the council members, and the mayor. The public hearing concerned an application for a special use permit to establish a farmer’s market where Happy Creek Antiques is located on Commerce Avenue. Town Code §73-1 defines farmer’s market as “a collection of two (2) or more vendors, selling farm or domestic products, garden produce, or nursery products, ornamental or otherwise, which have been grown or produced by the vendor offering the same for sale, in an open-air setting or with temporary or partially enclosed structures.”

Julie Vaught, on behalf of Happy Creek Antiques, speaks in favor of a special use permit to establish a farmer’s market at the shop’s location on Commerce Avenue.

Much of the merchandise will grow onsite. Julie Vaught, speaking passionately about her family’s enterprise, which is rooted in an existing antique shop, has a vision for developing this market in a way that benefits the underprivileged by inviting them to participate. But the whole community will benefit. The summary reads: “The applicant is proposing to install four to six raised garden beds in an existing parking lot for the purpose of growing and selling produce. The applicant anticipates expanding the number of garden beds and creating an orchard area in the next year.”

Councilman Wayne Sealock, who abstained from the vote as he has a personal connection that creates a conflict of interest, nevertheless confirmed that he has been to the site and can testify that it is in very good condition. This remark served as a buttress to Vice Mayor Amber Veitenthal’s motion to approve, which excised the Planning Commission’s recommended conditions, as she felt that the site is indeed in good shape and the regulations would be unfriendly to business. In the end, the motion passed.

The reports of Veitenthal and Councilwoman Melissa DeDomenico-Payne overlapped in one key regard, as both addressed the topic of data centers. While emphasizing once again that no data center developer has approached the Town nor is the council having secret conversations with an eye towards establishing such a use, Veitenthal did underline the conservatism the council has exhibited in directing the planning commission and staff to study this issue and develop performance standards that would offset a data center free-for-all. DeDomenico-Payne drew attention to misinformation on social media, where many have taken strong positions, possibly in the absence of real understanding of the processes involved. She highlighted the importance of civic engagement in reaching out to the representatives when one feels that those democratically elected officials might be missing something. The Royal Examiner would merely contribute to this discussion the perspective that the computing industry grew out of WWII, when Alan Turing improvised on Polish cryptography to break the Nazi code. Anyone who stands in juxtaposition to that tradition risks being innovative in a way that may lead to regret.

After passing the consent agenda, the council went into a closed meeting to address a portion of the Peyton Street Parking Area as well as the insolvency of the EDA and the disposition of its assets.

Click here to watch the Front Royal Town Council Meeting of  July 28, 2025.