1
San Ben COMPREHEN ito,t SIVE PL x AN
Plan Introduction Known as the Resaca City, San Benito boasts a rich cultural history founded in Conjunto music, and once stood as the hub for the Lower Rio Grande Valley in the 1950s. Today, the city is well positioned for growth due to booming international trade as a result of North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as well as benefiting from the economic development incentives occurring in neighboring cities, Harlingen and Brownsville. This planning effort plays a critical role in equipping the city for change, providing San Benito with the opportunity to not only grow, but to grow in the right way. This plan will lay the framework for how the city should best handle the rehabilitation of the downtown and older neighborhoods, while also considering new housing options and infrastructure to support the existing and anticipated population. Park and recreation options will also be analyzed in order to promote San Benito as a city that provides adequate and accessible parks and trails that are clean, safe, and well connected throughout the city. This plan will also help San Benito to establish a collective economic development strategy and partnerships that incentivizes businesses to locate and stay within the city. Through the process of developing the comprehensive plan, the community will get a better understanding of what makes San Benito unique and desirable, and a plan of action of how best to preserve its history and culture, retain multi-generational families, and attract and keep prospective businesses and residents to the area.