Creating the Future of New York City! -With Sara Lind

In this Episode, Kelly is joined by Sara Lind! She is the Co-Executive Director of Open Plans: A New York City based advocacy organization working to make streets and public spaces more livable. Sara is a frequent media source on Urban Planning and policy, with appearances on WPIX 11, ABC7, WNYC, and NY1. And she holds a JD from the University of Chicago, an MIA from Columbia SIPA, and a BS from the University of Wisconsin. But above all else… She is a New Yorker!

Kelly asks Sara where she's from. Sara and Kelly talk about their Midwestern roots! Sara talks about how she came to New York by way of Chicago. She reflects on the first time she came to New York to look for an apartment and recalls it feeling like home. Sara talks a bit about her career path and how she went from being a corporate lawyer to working in public advocacy.

Kelly and Sara talk about New York. Kelly asks Sara about some of the changes that have been taking effect around the city. They talk about Congestion Pricing and how that has been an effective way to alleviate traffic in Midtown. They talk about open streets and how they have been a successful program in helping people feel safer walking in the city. They also talk about how people choose to promote car driving with policy decisions and what those look like. They talk about ways that we can choose to put people first when planning for the city's future.

Sara talks about biking in New York. She talks about the importance of May being Bike Month and how it's important for us to make sure that the city continues to be a safe place for bike riders. Kelly talks about how he loved riding Citi Bike during COVID and how it got him to explore even more of the city. Sara and Kelly talk about how they rode their bikes everywhere growing up, and Sara talks about how she wants her kids to feel safe to do the same.

Kelly asks Sara about how she gets around the city. Sara talks about how she loves riding the Subway and taking the bus. And with a Citi Bike rack in front of her apartment, she loves to explore the city with them. Kelly also asks Sara about when she thought it was ok for her kids to take public transit on their own. Sara admits that she's far from a helicopter parent, and encouraged her kids to take the subway to go to school and visit friends.

Sara tells us about outdoor dining in New York City. She talks about what the program was like before COVID in 2019. Then she tells us how COVID completely changed the restaurant business and how outdoor dining brought some great positives but also negatives. Kelly then asks about the current program, and she explains the sticky situation that lawmakers put restaurant owners in when they passed the latest legislation.

Finally, Kelly asks Sara some quickfire questions about her favorite neighborhood, favorite way to get around the city and her favorite local restaurant.

But above all else; Sara Lind is a New Yorker!

Kelly Kopp's Social Media:

@NewYorkCityKopp

Follow Open Plans NYC!

@openplansnyc

Jae's Social Media

@StudioJae170

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Meet Open Plans Executive Director Sarah Lind
• (00:04:11) - Married to a New Yorker in the 1980s
• (00:08:41) - Knicks star on the team's success
• (00:09:13) - Mayor Bill de Blasio on Open Plans
• (00:12:29) - Congestion Pricing
• (00:16:36) - "It's a nice little era for the Knicks,"
• (00:16:51) - Biking in New York
• (00:19:41) - How New Yorkers get around the city
• (00:22:28) - Slowing the Trash on the Streets
• (00:26:13) - Low-Traffic Neighborhoods
• (00:31:34) - People talk about Park Avenue's redesign
• (00:34:29) - Outside dining in New York
• (00:38:58) - Living on the Upper West Side
• (00:41:02) - What Made You Engaged in Urban Policy?
• (00:42:41) - How Safe Do You Feel in New York?
• (00:43:55) - Favorite NYC restaurant or food spot?
• (00:45:54) - What It Means to Be A New Yorker