Comprehensive Plan Update

Building a Better Benbrook

The Comprehensive Plan is an official document that serves as Benbrook’s roadmap for future land development. The plan is being updated to address usage of vacant lands.

As part of the update process, the City held an open house on November 12, 2019. Citizens had an opportunity to review six stations addressing different elements of the plan. Below is a summary of each station, with links to the information provided at the Open House.

Following the Open House, the City provided a 30-day period for citizens to give their input on the proposed updates. The public comment period has now concluded.

What's next: The City is reviewing the citizen comments. An updated version of the plan will be submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review and action. The Commission's public hearing will be held 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 9, at City Hall, 911 Winscott Road.

The plan will be then be submitted to City Council for their review and action at one of their regular public meetings. The public will be notified when the plan is on the Council agenda. Citizens are welcome to attend the meeting and share their comments.

For more information, please email planning@benbrook-tx.gov or call 817-249-6060. Thank you for helping us Build A Better Benbrook!

Station 1: Why Plan?
A plan provides guidance for the City’s decision-making. It also is used to establish goals and strategies to help us fulfill the community’s vision for Benbrook. As a prominent management consultant once wrote, "Planning is bringing the future into the present, so you can do something about it now."

Station 2: Our Vision
Our vision is, “Making Benbrook Your Hometown.” The slogan reflects our intention to help create a sense of pride and place for Benbrook residents.

Station 3: Thoroughfare and Trails Plans
We want to create a community where citizens -- including bicyclists -- can get around easily and efficiently. The two plans depict our vision for the development of Benbrook's roads, bike routes and hiking trails.

Station 4: Future Land Use
We don't want just to see Benbrook grow; we want to see it grow wisely. That means having a good mix of commercial and residential areas, carefully developed and strategically located. The plans depict our vision for the development of Benbrook's vacant municipal lands as well as Mercer Ranch, located in our extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).

Station 5: Downtown
Picture in your mind the intersection of Winscott Road and Mercedes Street, around where City Hall currently stands. Now imagine that same area with a downtown … It could have wide sidewalks, residential uses, distinctive shops and slower-moving traffic. It also could have bike lanes, sidewalk cafés and maybe even a public greenspace for people to gather. With the updated Comprehensive Plan, all of it is a possibility...view this conceptual video.

Station 6: Help Prioritize (Results)
City services, such as public safety, maintenance of our streets, storm water systems, parks and trails, are all largely paid for with tax dollars. Every year the City works hard to provide the best quality and level of services at the lowest possible cost. But as the cost of and demand services increases, the City faces tough choices.

Attendees of the open house also participated in a prioritization exercise. They were given five beans, representing tax dollars, and challenged to choose which of ten City services they would fund. Participants found the exercise was a creative way to demonstrate the allocation of limited resources.