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1. What is a "master-planned community"?

A Master-Planned Community (MPC) is typically a large acreage, mixed use residential development. While this type of development is typically focused on single family homes, it will also generally include retail and commercial developments as well. MPCs are largely known for the community amenities they deliver to the residents living within the development, but also, as in Riceland’s case, to the greater community. Overall, developments like Riceland seek to establish building and aesthetic standards that will control pace and quality, through planning the development growth, over the large acreage and an extended development timeline.

Master planned communities like Riceland typically focus on four main areas:

• Amenities: Riceland will offer residents some exclusive amenities like Outdoor park and pavilion and Clubhouse building with splash pads and pools. Mont Belvieu residents living outside of the development will be able to enjoy Riceland’s fish camp, walking trails, green spaces, and the new Town Center.  All these amenities help create a sense of community by encouraging families and neighbors to spend time together without needing to travel across town or away from home.
• Lifestyle: One of the most important components of an MPC is the lifestyle! Riceland will enhance and preserve Mont Belvieu as our hometown. Riceland will have weekly hometown events in the greenspace and festival street as well as local restaurants that fit in with the agricultural history of the area.
• Neighborhoods: Planned communities like Riceland are unique because they include a mix of distinctive neighborhoods and home designs. The availability of styles and types of homes found within Riceland will ensure that homebuyers can find the perfect place to meet their needs and lifestyle.
• Multiple Uses: One does not simply live in a master-planned community. Many master-planned communities also include shops, restaurants, services and more; this provides convenience for residents that’s critical in today’s busy world. Riceland residents will have access to the developing Mont Belvieu Town Center and the city’s Eagle Pointe Recreation Complex. 

2. What is the benefit of a master-planned community?

A master-planned community like Riceland severely limits uncontrolled development and growth within its boundary. Initially, they always include robust amenities for the MPC residents and the greater community. Secondly, they allow growth to happen at a planned pace. This means the City of Mont Belvieu, Barbers Hill ISD, and the greater community can plan for and integrate this growth as it happens – thus limiting reactionary and emergency expansions of municipal and school services.

3. Where will Riceland be located within Mont Belvieu?

Located in the heart of Mont Belvieu, Riceland represents 90%+ of the developable land within the city limits. Riceland will build out over the next 25 years with the initial focus being on the areas surrounding the intersection of Eagle Dr. and FM 565. For a better look at how Riceland will fit into the city, please click here to see the Riceland Master Plan Map.

4. Will the development really bring 4000 new homes to Mont Belvieu?

Over the next 20-25 years, at final build out, Riceland will deliver approximately 3,900 single family residences over +/-1,450 acres. Riceland is a long-term development that is dedicated to bringing quality and focused growth to Mont Belvieu that is on pace with what the city has historically seen over the past decade. 

5. I like the hometown feel in Mont Belvieu. Isn't this going to ruin it?

The very specific goal, theme, and intent of Riceland is to preserve and enhance Mont Belvieu’s hometown feel. Riceland boasts one of the deepest historical connections to the area – The direct ancestors of the landowner family, who are still involved in the development, came to the Mont Belvieu/Barbers Hill area in 1824 (then Mexico) and have farmed many parts of what Riceland is today since that time. This is why Riceland, along with its land-owner partners, created The Riceland Master Planned Community with one goal in mind: to preserve Mont Belvieu’s hometown feel for the next 100 years for both its current and future residents. West Chambers County, and more specifically Mont Belvieu, is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. So, growth and development will continue to explode around us as a community. That’s why it is imperative that Riceland, in partnership with the City of Mont Belvieu, works to preserve our hometown as that happens.

6. What will Riceland look like?

Riceland’s goal is to provide a ‘small town Texas’ feel in the commercial and residential areas with a focus on Southeast Texas agriculture in our greenspaces and amenities. While the buildings may be new, they’ll feel like they’ve always been here soaking up our area’s rich history. You can see examples of Riceland's vision on their webpage, www.ricelandtx.com.

7. Will Riceland make my taxes go up?

Riceland’s Tax infrastructure only affects the future residents of Riceland. Current City of Mont Belvieu residents and their property taxes are unaffected by the development of Riceland.

8. Does Riceland benefit current residents in any way?

Riceland benefits the current residents in a few major ways. The City of Mont Belvieu will receive a whole set of first-class amenities and public infrastructure at zero cost to the current Mont Belvieu resident tax-payer. Riceland, the MPC, will eliminate what would be unplanned, piecemeal growth that would otherwise occur on Riceland’s 1,450 acres within the City.

9. Won't all of these new homes overtax the City's utility system?

Riceland’s Development Company will construct 100% of the new public utility infrastructure, in public bid format, according to the City standards and State of Texas regulations, for the City of Mont Belvieu to own and operate upon completion of construction. As of January 2023, the City’s Public Works and Engineering Department estimates that the current water/wastewater system can handle an additional 1000 homes before there would be any concern about capacity. However, the City of Mont Belvieu is already working on expanding the system. There are several utility-related capital projects already either under design or in construction that ensure the City's utility system stays well ahead of demand all the way to Mont Belvieu’s full build-out.

10. How is traffic going to be addressed with all of these new homes coming in?

Riceland’s long-term transportation plan is built along the exact parameters within the City’s comprehensive plan. This transportation plan build out is funded by Riceland, as it is included in the infrastructure costs, and will be turned over to the City upon completion of construction. A link to the City's major thoroughfare plan, a part of the comprehensive plan that Riceland is referencing and following within their development plans, is provided below.

City of Mont Belvieu - Major Thoroughfare Plan

11. What is the connection between Riceland and the City's new downtown/town center?

One of Riceland’s amenities to benefit the Community is a re-establishment of Mont Belvieu’s historical hometown center – which, being located on the salt dome and the city’s current industrial footprint to the west - was lost due to safety regulations 30+ years ago. To replace what was lost to history, Riceland’s goal is to recreate a central ‘Hometown Texas’ location for Mont Belvieu to serve as the heart and the hub of the city. 

12. How are the developers paying for Riceland? Or, is the City paying for it?

Developers are paying for Riceland’s construction directly. In the future, Riceland will be reimbursed for a portion of some of those development costs by the Municipal Utility District (MUD) that will only affect property owners within Riceland.

13. What is a MUD?

A Municipal Utility District (MUD) is a special purpose district heavily regulated by the State of Texas. Traditionally, these districts allowed the financing of development in unincorporated areas that lacked utility services or a municipality; As opposed to incorporated areas, like The City of Mont Belvieu where growth in the public infrastructure services is traditionally funded and operated by the City or Municipality and its taxpayers. Riceland MUDs do not fit the traditional model for MUDs. In Riceland, we have “In City MUDs”. These are unique and not like any other MUDs in the greater area of Chambers and East Harris Counties. They do several very positive things for the City, the current city tax payer, and Riceland.

• First, it allows the growth of the public infrastructure to occur without the city and the current city taxpayer paying for $1 dollar of that construction. 100% of the cost is on the developer and any future reimbursement of any portion of those costs rests 100% on any property owner who purchases land (residential or commercial) within the Riceland MUD. Riceland does not include any current property owners within the City (residential or commercial) outside the Developer itself. Even if you own property that is next door or touches Riceland, you are not in the MUD.
• Second, the Riceland MUD’s are not developing any separately owned treatment plants – this means once construction is complete, The Riceland MUDs will own zero physical assets – all of the infrastructure is turned over to the city ownership at completion. Future Riceland residents will purchase their utilities from The City of Mont Belvieu. This is a benefit because once any future reimbursements are complete, the MUDs dissolve and go away forever as they will have no assets to operate and maintain. Thus, the City of Mont Belvieu gets all of the expansion of its public utility infrastructure and roads within Riceland at no cost to the City and its taxpayers.
• Third, any future reimbursement depends on the Developers ability to deliver value within the MUD – so the Developer is motivated to deliver an amenity package and residential development quality to achieve any reimbursement for the public infrastructure portion. This allows the developer to use additional funding to add to the amenity package and public areas within the development.

14. Riceland is clearing a lot of land. Aren't you concerned about the natural spaces and animal habitats?

Riceland is located on 1,450 acres of what used to be farmland for the last 100 years (cotton, cattle, crawfish and others). Our development goals are to provide 300+ acres of natural settings and green space for residents and wildlife. To be specific, when Riceland is completed in the next 20-25 years, over the entire +/-1,450 acres, our homes per acre density is at or below the density within Mont Belvieu’s current residential developments.