Page 330 - Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
P. 330
BENBROOK HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
the Benbrook Common School District became part of the Fort Worth Independent School District; the Chapin School
District also merged with Fort Worth. By 1970, Benbrook had grown to 8,169 people. In 1972 City Staff had grown to
thirty-one employees under the direction of City Administrator H. W. Jett. A new City Hall was built in 1976 on the
corner of Winscott Road and Mercedes Street. In 1977, the City updated its Comprehensive Plan in a series of three
reports, including: Land Use Studies; a Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan; and a Housing Element. The 1977
Plan proposed a mix of land uses that do not differ substantially from the City's current Plan - with the exception that
the area south of Mary's Creek and west of Highway 377 was proposed for single family residential. The Park Plan
proposed a series of nine new neighborhood parks, along with protection of flood plains and existing parks, and
construction of a recreation facility/library. In 1978 voters approved bonds for a new fire station and for streets; a
proposed bond issue for a recreation facility failed. A revised bond issue for drainage projects was approved in 1979.
The Housing Element stressed conservation and rehabilitation of older stock housing.
Texas State law allows cities with populations over 5,000 to elect to have a home rule charter to provide more flexibility
and authority of municipal government. Benbrook's first Home Rule Charter Commission was appointed in April 1975
to draft a charter but the proposition failed on the ballot in January 1977. A second Charter Commission was appointed
in April 1977 but the measure failed in August 1978. A third Commission was elected in April 1982 and the Charter
finally passed in April 1983. The Charter was amended in 1990 and again in 1997.
1980s
In 1980, Benbrook had a total population of 13,579. A $4.1 million bond issue for streets and drainage was defeated at
the polls in 1980. In May 1980, numerous homes were damaged by a hail storm; a tornado was sighted but not officially
confirmed. Loop 820 was completed from Hulen Street to U. S. Highway 377 in 1981 and the remainder opened in
1982. In 1981 an election to merge the City with the Benbrook Water and Sewer Authority failed. Benbrook experienced
a tremendous building boom between 1974 and 1985 with a ninety percent increase in the number of single family
houses built and a forty-fold increase in the number of multi-family dwelling units built. A bond election in 1985
approved funds for a police station, streets, and drainage improvements. However, building activity slowed
considerably in the last half of the 1980s. The Benbrook Area Chamber of Commerce was created in 1986. In January
1989, voters turned down a bond election for streets, drainage, and a library.
CITY OF BENBROOK 2018-19 ANNUAL BUDGET
329