Page 294 - Benbrook FY2021

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 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

294 | P a g e