Leesburg approves temporary rainbow crosswalk pilot and waives fees for Pride festival

The Leesburg Town Council on May 11 approved two requests from Equality Loudoun: a temporary, 90‑day pilot to paint a rainbow crosswalk at Harrison Street where the W&OD Trail crosses near Ranson/Refow (adjacent to Ida Lee Park) and a waiver of town event fees for the Loudoun Pride Festival, not to exceed $11,000.

Supporters said the crosswalk and festival will increase visibility and signal welcome to LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. Candice Tuck, who identified herself as representing Equality Loudoun, PFLAG Ashburn‑Loudoun County and the Loudoun Pride Foundation, told the council the crosswalk “is an effort to show that without reservation, without hesitation, that Leesburg is open and inclusive.” The Pride festival, scheduled for May 31, expects roughly 5,000 attendees and charges a $5 entrance fee.

Town staff briefed the council on logistics, costs and public‑safety measures. Town staff member Stacy Trask told council the surface conditions and traffic patterns have been reviewed and that staff recommends treating the painting as a temporary program for about 90 days so a formal policy and application process can be drafted. Trask said half the street would be painted at a time, that painting would take four to five hours with drying time between coats, and that the town’s costs would be roughly $800–$1,200 for lane‑control work during business hours and about $700–$1,000 for materials. Trask also said Loudoun (the event organizer) offered to pay for staff time and materials and coordinate volunteers for the painting.

Trask referenced the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidance and said Virginia Department of Transportation review is unnecessary because the town owns and maintains Harrison Street; the town would retain the white ladder bars required by MUTCD. Trask also said staff would apply an anti‑graffiti coating and that maintenance decisions would depend on the policy developed during the pilot.

Council and staff discussed safety and operations. A Leesburg Police Department representative, Sarah (last name not specified in the record), warned that response times can vary depending on calls for service and that officers assigned to an event might be needed elsewhere. Town attorney John Spera (title listed in the meeting) said running the program as a pilot reduced legal risk from precedent claims.

Councilmembers voiced both support and concern. One councilmember said they supported the principle but would have preferred a policy in place before approving an artistic roadway treatment. Others pointed to the community‑relations benefits and noted Equality Loudoun will cover much of the immediate cost. The motion passed with a majority and the council directed staff to return with a recommended policy and any implementation details after the trial period.

On the fee waiver, staff presented an estimated cost for town resources of $10,742 (police staffing, park staffing and setup, traffic control and park rental for multi‑day setup and breakdown). The town’s operating budget for fee waivers for fiscal year 2025 includes $10,000; staff said additional funds could come from the town manager’s contingency if needed. Council debated the cost and precedent concerns; some members proposed a partial waiver cap while others urged the town to be a welcoming host for the festival’s first year in Ida Lee Park. The council voted to approve the fee waiver, not to exceed $11,000, and asked staff to return with a policy discussion on future fee waivers.

What it means: The crosswalk will be painted under town supervision as a temporary 90‑day pilot while staff drafts a policy for future requests. The Pride festival will proceed at Ida Lee Park with the council covering up to $11,000 of the town’s direct event costs; the exact post‑event billing will reflect actual staffing and material usage.

Votes at a glance

- Temporary rainbow crosswalk on Harrison Street (90‑day pilot): Motion approved; staff to develop formal policy during pilot period. (Tally: majority in favor; one councilmember voiced opposition to approving before a policy existed.)

- Loudoun Pride Festival fee waiver: Motion approved, fee waiver authorized in an amount not to exceed $11,000; staff to return with policy options for future requests.

Speakers quoted or recorded in this item included Candice Tuck (Equality Loudoun/PFLAG/Loudoun Pride Foundation), Stacy Trask (town staff), Sarah (Leesburg Police representative) and John Spera (town attorney).

Next steps: Staff will coordinate painting logistics with the event organizers and volunteers, manage required traffic controls for partial lane work, and return to the council after the 90‑day pilot with a recommended crosswalk policy and an evaluation of the pilot. Staff will also finalize the actual event costs for the Pride festival and bill/record the town’s expenditures.