Residents Urged to Attend Tonight’s City Council Meeting.

Flood concerns are once again taking center stage in Benbrook.

A longtime Benbrook resident and advocate with Stop South Benbrook Floods, Greg Clem, is encouraging residents to attend tonight’s City Council meeting, alleging city leaders have offered conflicting explanations over the handling of floodplain issues tied to the proposed Trinity Estates development.

The group cites a 2021 internal email exchange between city staff and engineers as evidence for its claims.

In one email dated Aug. 9, 2021, the City of Benbrook’s Bennett Howell wrote that the proposed development was “not using the proposed floodplain map,” adding that the new map showed the intersection of Timberline and Vernon Castle outside the 100-year floodplain, allowing at least one roadway connection outside the floodplain.

The email was part of a discussion that included City Planner Doug Howard and representatives from engineering firm Baird, Hampton & Brown. In an earlier message that same day, an engineer asked whether the City would allow roadway connections “even though they are below the flood elevation.”

According to Stop South Benbrook Floods, the email contradicts more recent public statements regarding the floodplain maps used during the project’s review. The group contends the facts have remained consistent while the City’s explanation has changed over time.

Residents are strongly encouraged to attend tonight’s Benbrook City Council meeting and hear the discussion firsthand. The City of Benbrook has not publicly responded to the group’s latest claims.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.