Page 329 - Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

BENBROOK HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Zoning Commission with the duty to recommend a master plan and zoning ordinance. The first zoning ordinance
created a single zoning district "A" One Family; lots were required to be a minimum of 20,000 square feet and dwellings
were required to be a minimum of 1,000 square feet in size. In 1949 the Benbrook Volunteer Fire Department was
organized; Jim Childers served as the first Fire Chief.

The City also began addressing the need for a water supply. Initially homes were supplied by individual water wells.
In 1949, the Worth Water Company was granted a twenty-five year franchise to install and operate a water system to
serve Benbrook. The Benbrook Water and Sewer Authority was created in April 1955 by the Texas Legislature and
assumed the assets of the Worth Water Company.

1950s

By 1950, Benbrook had three stores and 617 residents. The Dunlap Addition on Llano Street was platted in 1949. The
Benbrook Lakeside Addition was platted in 1950 with typical lots of 225 feet by 225 feet. These subdivisions reflected
the spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright's ideal subdivision where everyone owned an acre of land. However to stimulate sales,
the subdivision was replatted within a few years to 75 feet by 225 feet and again to 75 feet by 150 feet; homes sold for
about $8,500. At the same time in 1950, the North Benbrook Addition was platted into lots 50 by 100 feet. A new City
Hall/Fire Station was built on Del Rio Avenue, just off Highway 377, in 1951. Also in 1951, the City Council voted by a
two-to-one margin to outlaw taverns. In August 1955, the City adopted its first subdivision ordinance which required
developers to dedicate and construct adequate street and drainage facilities.

1960s and 1970s

The census of 1960 indicates that Benbrook had grown to 3,254 people. In 1961 the Texas Education Agency performed
a study of the costs of building a Junior/Senior High School to educate Benbrook students. The estimated construction
cost of $5,000,000 plus annual operating costs of $75,000 required a tax increase of 240 percent. As a result of this
study, in 1962

CITY OF BENBROOK 2018-19 ANNUAL BUDGET
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