Carmel has officially lost its most famous calling card, or lack thereof, as street addresses are set to start appearing on the facades of the whimsical oceanfront enclave’s storybook villas, cottages and businesses.

Abandoning the distinction of being likely the last incorporated town in the U.S. to not have street addresses was not a decision that was taken lightly. The process took years of research, community feedback and heated exchanges. Whether to have addresses or not created a kind of constant battle that pitted neighbor against neighbor — locked in a debate that was passed down through generations. 

The never-ending discussion in Carmel was about whether the town’s traditions and charms were defined by its missing addresses or whether their absence simply created a nuisance, one that, over time, was mistaken for charm. 

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In the end, convenience — and the health and safety of the rapidly aging community, where the median age of 68.5 is nearly double that of the rest of the state — won out. 

Perhaps surprisingly, the most vocal in favor of the change were some of the longtime naysayers at last week’s City Council meeting that finalized the decision. Over the decades-long debate and initial implementation strategies, some of the most outspoken critics against addresses have somehow evolved to willing proponents. 

A lunch rush packs in La Bicyclette in Carmel, Calif.,........

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