formerly citizens' greener Evanston
(as reported on the candidate's website)
Now works at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Environmental justice is one of her three focus areas.
Runs her own policy consulting business, where her specialty is renewable energy development in public schools.
First got involved in political action by working with her State Senator on environmental justice on Lake Michigan, advocating for lakefront protection and resources to address a neglected nuclear power plant in Zion, Illinois.
Evanston now has 25 years to achieve its carbon neutrality and zero waste goals as outlined in the Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), and Sustainability and Resilience Manager Cara Pratt has said the city has already accomplished the “low-hanging fruit” in pursuing these targets.
What climate goals and policies would you prioritize in the coming term? How should the city pursue reduction of building emissions?
Do you support phasing out natural gas use in new construction, and requiring existing buildings work toward carbon neutrality over the next 25 years?
“I want Evanston to be a leader in combating climate change. We have twenty five years to reach our target, but we have to take action now. It’s far easier to take gradual steps over twenty five years than if we need to hurriedly try to make up for lost time.
Transportation is one of the biggest sources of emissions, and I want to start by expanding transit options. Right now there are no ADA compliant CTA Purple Line stations in the 3rd Ward. I want to implement a progressive wheel tax on very large vehicles and households that have multiple cars, then use those funds for transit improvements. I’d like to see accessible train stations, bus stop shelters, and bike parking. We can also reduce emissions by reducing speeding with traffic calming measures, like with curb extensions that double as native plant gardens.
The city should embrace carbon-reduction technologies. I support phasing out natural gas in new construction and creating a flexible, long-term plan to reach carbon-neutrality in existing buildings. I support electric vehicle charging and renewable energy generation, both by installing them as a city and by making resources for private residents easier to find.”
Nearly 2/3rds of all households in Evanston own one or no cars, and a majority of residents do not commute via car. Each year, more Evanstonians of all ages are walking, rolling, and using bus or train service for convenience, physical fitness, cost-savings, and environmental benefits.
How do you incorporate walking, biking and public transit into your everyday life?
I love not having to drive! I typically take the CTA Purple Line Express to my workplace downtown, and I adjust to taking the Metra UP-N when I’m going someplace closer to Ogilvie. If not going to the office, I will walk within Evanston for groceries, meeting friends, and dining out. Outside Evanston, I visit my grandparents in Lake County via the Metra, have taken the Amtrak to multiple work trips to St. Louis, and use the Pace Pulse Dempster line to access the airport. Though I am not an avid cycler, I annually take a Divvy bike from Southeast Evanston to Central Street for the 4th of July Parade.
Academic research and case studies from cities like Paris, Amsterdam, and New York show that reducing car traffic and building protected bike lanes are necessary to meet climate and mobility goals. Plans such as the Chicago Ave Multimodal Project provide an example of how this can be implemented in Evanston.
Where would you want infrastructure improvements, such as traffic calming, pedestrianization/ street closures, and protected bike lanes, to encourage more walking and cycling?
This has become such an issue that my campaign is developing a map to visualize all the areas in need of safety improvement. I think traffic calming measures double as an excellent opportunity to grow native plants, and I’d like to see curb extensions on intersections along Hinman Ave. I believe we should install raised crosswalks on Sheridan Rd and Chicago Ave where existing crosswalks are, and I’d like to expand bike lanes that go east-west to allow more residents to access the lakefront. Given the restrictions on funding, I believe we should proceed with the protected bike lane along Chicago Ave. I also want Evanston to invest in ADA accessible bus stops, rain shelters and seating at bus stops, and expand ADA access to our CTA stations. I support pedestrian closures on residential streets for special events and outdoor dining, and I would like to see traffic studies for creating one-way streets and adding roundabouts.
Public transit has seen a major change in ridership trends, with 9-to-5 commuter services falling short of pre-COVID milestones while off-peak and weekend demand climbs despite infrequent and often unreliable schedules. CTA, PACE, and Metra are facing a ‘fiscal cliff’, as federal dollars to keep transit service operating run out by 2026.
While not in the position to solve this problem on its own, what can the City of Evanston do to support existing bus and train service, and how would you want to see public transportation expanded in our city in the future?
Evanston can make it more comfortable to use public transportation and more inconvenient to use cars. In addition to traffic calming to slow down car traffic, Evanston can invest in our public transportation infrastructure to add ramps, shelters, and public restrooms. I’d like the city to pass an increased wheel tax (by $50-$100 per year) for SUVs and pick-up trucks that weigh over 3,000 lbs and second, third, and fourth cars in a household, then put that toward a transit improvement fund. I expect that to add $1 million per year to go toward even ambitious improvements like elevators at train stations. I also think the city and school districts should work toward an agreement with the CTA to increase bus service to ETHS during drop-off and pick-up hours. Finally, as CTA may expand bus-rapid transit along Western Ave, I believe Evanston should support that project and extend the route into our city.
With parallels to Envision Evanston 2045, Minneapolis has modified its zoning code in the past decade to eliminate minimum parking requirements, encourage transit-oriented development, and allow the construction of more “missing middle” housing city-wide. Together, these reforms lead to a stabilization of rent prices, a drop in homelessness, reduced displacement, and increased racial diversity. Environmental benefits were also realized, as more dense and mixed-use developments encourage lower rates of car ownership and generate less embodied carbon from construction.
What changes to Evanston’s zoning code, such as the ones listed above, would you support in response to the housing and climate crises?
I support transit-oriented development along major corridors and low-impact housing like ADUs and retrofitting large houses to become multi-family buildings. I think expanding housing density along transit corridors like Chicago Ave and Ridge Ave is smart growth. I support reducing surface parking lots. However, I’d like zoning changes to be mindful of the Lakeshore Historic District and avoid backlash from concerned home owners. Concurrent with zoning reform, we would benefit from passing plans to reduce car dependency, add traffic calming infrastructure, and housing policies like right of first refusal to purchase renter-occupied housing, landlord complaint databases, and requirements for two- and three-bedroom units in new development, as zoning changes alone will not result in more affordable housing.
