MONTEREY >> A divided Monterey City Council voted 3-1 Friday to continue discussion over a proposal to install a rainbow crosswalk in the city, citing financial, logistical and community considerations. Councilman Ed Smith voted no. Vice Mayor Kim Barber was absent. The item will return for further deliberation at the council’s regular meeting June 3.

During a special council meeting Friday, the proposed crosswalks, intended to signal the city’s commitment to equity and inclusion, sparked a lot of public interest. According to city staff, 57 public emails were submitted in support of the project, and 50 were against. That trend was reflected in the public comment portion of the meeting, which drew in more than 25 public comments in-person and a dozen more on Zoom.

City staff outlined the financial scope of the project, estimating a cost of $2,000 to $15,000 per intersection, depending on design and location. Maintenance costs are expected to be higher than traditional crosswalks, especially on concrete. A recent decorative crosswalk on Wave Street had a three- to five-year lifespan.

Proposed locations include intersections near Lighthouse Avenue and Reeside Avenue, Alvarado and Pearl Streets, and Pacific and Madison Streets — areas frequently visited by students, residents and tourists.

Mayor Tyller Williamson, who is Monterey’s first openly gay elected official, said he approved of the proposal not only because of personal experiences with not feeling included, but because of how much it would mean to the next generation of people who came to Monterey.

“This is the most engagement I’ve seen since taking public office,” he said, growing emotional as he recalled his own experiences. “When I was still in school, I was closeted. If I had something like this in my city, it would’ve made a world of difference.”

Williamson emphasized that the crosswalks are not about art or decoration but safety and visibility, aligning with the city’s stated values of equity and inclusion.

“This is about people seeing themselves reflected in their own city,” Williamson said.

Public comments were divided, with many coming to support the proposal, sharing personal anecdotes and their experiences seeing rainbow crosswalks in other cities. While others were against the crosswalk for both financial reasons and religious beliefs.

One commenter, a volunteer with Monterey Pride, said the project would be “worth every penny,” noting, “You can’t put a price on inclusion.”

Those in opposition questioned the use of public property for what they saw as ideological expression. Smith pushed back on the idea, saying public infrastructure should be neutral and other ways could be used to show off Monterey’s inclusivity.

“What about citizens of faith who don’t want city streets to promote any particular group?” Smith said, adding that he did not like the timing of the agenda item and believed it caught the public off guard.

Councilwoman Jean Rasch agreed with Smith, citing visibility issues and possible safety concerns.

“I wonder if the transportation triangle wouldn’t be the perfect place to celebrate diversity,” Rasch said. “I’m just worried about the safety of doing this expression in the streets I find when I drive everything’s distracting.”

The council ultimately decided to revisit the issue June 3, with a full quorum.

No formal designs have been selected, and city officials reiterated that the intent is not to promote engagement with the crosswalks, but rather to provide a visible symbol of inclusivity and support.