Located in Kendall County, the fifth fastest-growing county in the United States, Boerne has attracted many new residents, dramatically increasing its population and adding to developmental pressures.  The area’s existing water supply, transportation network, infrastructure systems and natural environment are burdened like never before. 

Boerne is not alone as it faces these external shocks and stressors.  But it is singularly catalytic in how it is addressing them.  It’s citizens are determined to protect the Hill Country Character of their region and are supportive of the policies and planning necessary to ensure the protection of the region’s natural resources.  The leadership of Boerne is well aligned with the values of Boerne’s community and incorporates community input into holistic planning efforts relating to transportation planning, management of the region’s water supply, and updating the city’s unified development code.

The community embraces an understanding that natural resources and infrastructure must be managed locally to maintain and enhance quality of life, improve community resilience, and sustain long-term economic well-being. 

Key Partnerships Spawn Resilient Community Vision

Boerne and the Cibolo Center for Conservation partner with universities, think tanks, and other collaborators to facilitate knowledge-sharing and help create a community vision that advances long-term, community-led, resilient-focused ideals. Partnering on projects offers Boerne access to added capacity, expertise and outside perspective. Recent projects include:

• Collaborating with the Cibolo Center for Conservation to pursue a vision of Boerne as a model resilient community invested in resource conservation, smarter infrastructure, and resilience efforts alike.

• Engaged the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs and IC2 Institute, think tanks that explore economic development from an innovation and entrepreneurial perspective in smaller cities and along major urban corridors, to create a five-year economic blueprint for the Economic Development Corporation.

• Developing the world’s first municipal Internet of Water Data Hub in partnership with the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas and Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental and Policy Solutions, with the support of the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation

• Created the Kendall County Water Committee to assess the region’s water supply and develop strategies to conserve and reuse this limited resource.

• Formed a regional transportation planning committee to develop solutions for efficient, equitable and cost-sensible transportation infrastructure.

• Actively recruited stakeholders from sectors spanning the community to develop Boerne’s Unified Development Code, a document based upon the city’s master plan, that defines future development that is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.

The power of Boerne’s resiliency lies in the active participation and connections of multi-stakeholders in the community.  The energy, reciprocity and trust found in this “civic virtue” gets things done.  Working together allows greater certainty in realizing desired resilient outcomes for sustainable growth.