City of Benbrook
911 Winscott Road
Benbrook, TX 76126
(817) 249-3000
(817) 249-0884 fax

CLASSIFICATION OF PLATS

Standard Plat

Any division of land into two (2) or more lots is classified as a Standard Plat, unless the conditions of a Minor Plat are applicable. A Standard Plat requires the submission and approval of a Sketch Plat and Preliminary Plat prior to approval of a Final Plat. The Preliminary Plat requires approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Minor Plat

To facilitate the subdivision approval process in those instances (including minor street dedication, easement dedication and replats) where the highly formalized Standard Plat approval procedure is not necessary for an understanding of a given development process, or for the protection of adjacent or community interests, or for the protection and guidance of community development as a whole, the Minor Plat subdivision approval procedure may be used when the following conditions have been met:

1.	The Minor Plat and supporting instruments are respectively drawn and compiled in compliance with the Final Plat specifications.
2.	The Minor Plat and supporting instruments and the subdivision they represent are not otherwise in contflict with Chapter 212, Texas Local Government Code.
3.	Each lot and block has frontage upon a dedicated and improved street to City specifications, or necessary dedication and improvements are part of the plat.
4.	All easements to each block, or lot have been previously granted or are shown on the Plat.
5.	The proposed development neither contains nor creates a significant drainage problem, nor is topography a salient development consideration.
6.	All utilities required serving each block, or lot is in place or arrangements to provide same have been made with the appropriate utility.
7.	If the subject property is not identifiable by reference to a previously recorded subdivision Plat and is to be platted as a single tract, the tract shall have street  frontage of not less than the minimum specified by the Zoning Ordinance.
8.	Subject property contains a maximum of four (4) lots.
9.	Lot width and total lot area vary no more than five percent (5%) less than the equivalent dimensions of abutting lots.
10.	Property which has previously had a total of four (4) lots platted from it via the Minor Plat procedure shall not have additional lots platted from it under the Minor Plat procedure.

The Minor Plat requires a Sketch Plat and Final Plat, which the City Planner can approve.

Replat

A replat includes modification of an existing plat that creates new lots or alters any previously dedicated rights-of-way or easements, as provided in Section 212.014 and 212.015 of the Texas Local Government Code. Any replat that meets the requirements of an amending plat (Section 212.016) including the combination of existing lots, can be processed as a Minor Plat.

A change in a plat that does not fall within any of the categories listed above and does not meet the conditions for vacation of a plat, is a replat and may be recorded and is controlling over the preceding plat only if the replat:

1.	Is signed and acknowledged by the owners of the property being replatted,
2.	Is approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission after a public hearing on the matter at which parties in interest and citizens have an opportunity to be heard, and
3.	Does not attempt to amend or remove any covenants or restrictions.

Where a Subdivision is a Unit of a Larger Tract

Where the proposed subdivision constitutes a unit of a larger tract owned by the subdivider, which is intended to be subsequently subdivided as additional units of the same subdivision, the Preliminary Plat must cover the entire area of common ownership or joint development, showing the tentative proposed layout of streets, blocks, drainage, and other improvements for such areas. Thereafter, Final Plats of subsequent units of such subdivision must conform to the approved Preliminary Plat, unless changed by the Commission.  The Commission may change such approved Preliminary Plat only when the Commission finds:

1.	That adherence to the previously approved overall layout will hinder the orderly subdivision of other land in the area in accordance with the provisions of the Subdivision Ordinance; or,
2.	That adherence to the previously approved overall layout will be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or will be injurious to other property in the area.