Defining Boundaries: The Creation of the Central Texas - Balcones Chapter

by Heather DeGrella, past USGBC CT-B Chairperson

Since the formation of the USGBC Central Texas – Balcones (CT-B) Chapter, I have been asked on a regular basis why San Antonio and Austin don’t each have a chapter to call their own. On the surface, Austin and San Antonio are rather dissimilar cities. Having lived in and grown quite fond of both places, I can attest to the differences between the culture, attitudes, and pace of both the people and the governments of the cities. Austin is progressive, the live music capitol of the world, and youthful. San Antonio is steeped in culture, rich in history, and moves at a leisurely pace. On the other hand, the climate and ecology of the two cities are virtually identical. When it comes to the environment, nature does not recognize municipal boundaries.

At the time of the first Greenbuild convention, held in Austin in 2002, only a small number of USGBC chapters had formed. The few that existed were proudly vocal at the convention. As Bob Harris recalls, “The Delaware Valley Chapter members…were running about in their Pittsburgh Steelers jerseys…. They all had a jump on us and it seemed like we needed to get going.” It was at that Greenbuild when Bob and several other environmental leaders from Austin and San Antonio began the discussion of starting a regional chapter.

The first informal meeting followed in January of 2003, at Castle Hill Restaurant in Austin, with a handful of participants. You might recognize the names of these early leaders: Gail Vittori (CMPBS) is the 2009 chair-elect for the national USGBC, Bob Harris (Lake/Flato Architects) is now a national board member, Katie Jensen (AEGBP) became the first chair of the Central Texas – Balcones Chapter, and Sue Barnett is a LEED Faculty member. At the Castle Hill meeting, the issues that filtered to the top of the discussion helped focus the direction of the organization towards forming one regional chapter rather than two municipally based chapters.

It was collectively agreed that the Balcones Escarpment* was the defining ecological feature of the region that connects us. (See end of article for a brief explanation of this unique Central Texas geological element). It was at this time that Balcones was chosen as the name for the forming chapter. Additionally, the concern for water conservation - a relatively small portion of the overall points in LEED program’s point structure – was at the forefront of issues in our region. These early discussions included ideas for creating a regional point structure in LEED based on local environmental priorities such as water. Now, six years later, the USGBC is at long last incorporating regionalism within the LEED point structure with LEED 2009.

In addition to the common problems we share due to geography, the economy of our region continues to grow more interconnected. Nearly 3 million people live along the corridor between Georgetown and San Antonio and depend on Interstate Highway 35 (IH 35) as a major thoroughfare. By the year 2020, the population along this 110-mile stretch of highway is expected to nearly double. It is commonsense that the more our area grows into what is approaching a single giant metropolis, the better prepared we will be by working together toward a common vision that benefits us all.

Several years after the formation of the USGBC Central Texas – Balcones Chapter, National USGBC began assigning clearly defined areas to each chapter. The USGBC Central Texas – Balcones Chapter now officially serves 55 counties, a geographic area whose population surpasses four million people and is expected to exceed ten million by 2040. Since the beginning, representation on our Board has come from a wide range from within our area - from locales such as Fredericksburg, Round Rock, and Johnson City in addition to Austin and San Antonio. In this way, we are able to share expertise, solutions, and resources amongst ourselves, improving efficiency and knowledge for all involved.

In 2005, National furthered organized chapters by grouping them into eight broad “families” called Regional Councils. This organization provides a structure for bringing chapters within a region together to work on regional issues and opportunities as well as facilitate communications and information sharing. Our Chapter joined with the Greater Houston Area Chapter, the North Texas Chapter, and what would become the Oklahoma and Louisiana Chapters, to form the South Central Regional Council (SCRC). One of the recent ways our Regional Council is supporting our local concerns is through the South Central LEED Regionalization Task Force. Two representatives from the CT-B Chapter have joined with representatives from the other chapters in the SCRC on the Task Force to help develop criteria specifically for our region for LEED 2009 – the very vision the CT-B Chapter creators had back in 2003.

The countless hours that some of us have put in since that original meeting would probably make your head swim. Granted, the scope of the area we serve is in part responsible for this demand, but every year when the new Board comes together for the first time there is a collective realization that the benefits of our regional diversity outweigh the challenges. And so our Board continues to meet face-to-face in San Marcos every other month as well as yearly for an overnight retreat.

Footnote: What is the Balcones Escarpment?

From the Edward’s Aquifer website: The Balcones Escarpment is the topographic expression of the Balcones Fault…. This zone is where the Gulf Coastal Plains transition into the Texas Hill Country. Vastly different land uses on either side of the Escarpment are evident in satellite imagery. Below the Escarpment is the blackland prairie of the Gulf Coast where agriculture and urban uses are dominant, while above the Escarpment lies the Texas Hill Country where ranching and grazing are common. Displacement of the Balcones is about 1200 feet. However, one thing that really bothers geologists around here is they don't know whether this displacement occurred all at once, such as during a powerful earthquake, or over a long period of time. Property on the Balcones Escarpment, especially where it runs through northern San Antonio and western Austin, is highly valued for its rugged Hill Country beauty and lovely views of the city lights.
http://www.edwardsaquifer.net/geology.html

From the Handbook of Texas Online: The Balcones Escarpment is a geologic fault zone several miles wide consisting of several faultings. It extends in a curved line across Texas from Del Rio to the Red River and is visible eastward from Del Rio, where it is about 1,000 feet high, and northeastward from San Antonio to Austin, where it is about 300 feet high. The escarpment, which appears from the plains as a range of wooded hills, separates the Edwards Plateauqv in the west from the Coastal Plains. The Balcones zone was formed under conditions of strain during the Tertiary era, when a downwarping occurred near the Gulf Coast with a moderate uplift inland. Water-bearing formations passing beneath the plateau to the plains are broken across by the Balcones fault group, and much water is forced to the surface by artesian pressure. Barton Springs, San Marcos Springs, and Comal Springsqqv are examples of the resulting artesian wells or springs.
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/BB/rxb1.html

Footnote: USGBC Central Texas – Balcones Chapter Map