MONTEREY >> A rainbow crosswalk is coming to Alvarado Street.

City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night in favor of the project to create the crosswalk on the intersection of Alvarado and Pearl streets using private funding through local organizations and donors and to outline a crosswalk policy that can be updated for future projects. Council member Ed Smith voted no.

The crosswalk is slated to last about a year before going back to the council to look at permanent options and potentially develop a maintenance schedule. The next steps will be to secure funding with city staff planning to collaborate with organizations like Monterey Pride to secure funding in hopes of finishing the project before Pride Month is over. The rainbow often symbolizes LGBTQ pride.

More than 50 people spoke during public comment, with opinions mostly split amongst the group. Supporters included volunteers and board members with Monterey Pride, school administrators and parents — many of whom said the crosswalk would build upon Monterey’s values of diversity and inclusion, make people feel more welcomed and make a statement that the LGBTQ community had support in Monterey.

Those opposed to the crosswalk said the project would alienate other groups and communities and was unnecessary.

Groups in attendance applauded after many comments in both support and opposed to the project, even applauding for the city attorney when she explained the crosswalk was not a conflict of interest or against any laws.

Mayor Tyller Williamson, who attended the meeting virtually Tuesday, lauded the council members for keeping their decorum and not being afraid to share their opinions.

“Many people thought this wouldn’t be a regular agenda item,” Williamson said. “The council did a decent job.”

The mayor said his opinions and words from the special meeting back in May had not changed and the crosswalk had his full support.

Smith also did not change his decision from the special meeting, and said he did not support the crosswalk being permanent.

“A difference in opinion doesn’t mean we do not support the LGBTQ community,” Smith said.

Council member Jean Rasch said she still believed the agenda item should have spent more time in the council, garnering information and public opinion, but was happy to see city staff reached out to local businesses.

Rasch was also in favor of creating a crosswalk policy that would outline exactly how another organization or individual could bring up another project in the future.