Dear Neighbors,

As a follow-up from last Saturday, police are still actively investigating the shooting on Stockton Drive; however, they have expressed their belief that it was an isolated incident due to drinking and fighting by a group gathered at that location. The police and our office are pushing deterrents to this type of behavior, and this week at City Council, I submitted two legislative orders to restrict parking on Stockton Drive to residential permit parking only from 10pm to 6am daily. In discussions with the police, this will give them a direct tool to stop the trend of people gathering on Stockton Drive late at night in a way that has led to criminal behavior. We will update you as signs are hung and other techniques are implemented.

This week I introduced an anti-idling ordinance at City Council, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and doing our part in the fight against climate change in Chicago. With our parks (big and small), playgrounds, lakefront and events, the 43rd Ward is an outdoor ward. As someone who craves fresh air and activity, these features are a major part of why I chose to move here after law school. Like so many, the ward is my back, front and side yard. Chicago is also uniquely resourced with abundant freshwater supply, direct food access, and no wildfires, making many experts pitch it as an attractive city for domestic climate migrants. However, year after year, Chicago’s air is becoming more polluted and vehicle emissions are a major contributor. 

As Vice-Chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy, it is my goal to advance substantial legislation for our City to lead on climate change. In addition to upgrading ongoing initiatives such as energy efficiency in buildings, investing in electric vehicle infrastructure, and improving waste operations and public transportation, there are some impactful measures from other cities’ playbooks that we can enact immediately, such as this anti-idling ordinance. In summary, the ordinance would restrict the ‘idling’ of gas-fueled vehicles for more than 3 minutes. Said differently, it would prohibit the running of a vehicle while not in motion for more than 3 minutes. It is a measure that many other cities have taken to protect their air and to do their part towards the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. As currently drafted, the ordinance includes significant exceptions to keep us safe, such as that it would not apply to vehicles driven by safety professionals, food transporters and during extreme weather. Anti-idling ordinances have also been shown to benefit traffic flow in dense urban areas and clear up the air our kids breathe during school drop off and pick up.

Our office is thrilled to introduce this anti-idling ordinance, and we want to thank the local students who first asked us to do so. Between focused discussions at Lincoln Park High School, Francis W. Parker School and Lincoln Elementary, we are proud to partner with hundreds of students who have a deep and innovative desire to help the environment. Below are snippets from two of the lovely reports we received from our junior environmentalists: