Liberty Ranch, a new residential development located on SH 146 North in Liberty, officially broke ground Friday, June 20, marking a significant step in the City of Liberty’s growth and housing expansion. The developer is Waterstone Development Corporation, which also is behind the Westpointe community in Dayton.
The 50-acre project will bring 216 new single-family homes to Liberty, sitting on lots measuring 50 feet wide by 110 to 135 feet deep, with prices ranging from $225,000 to $260,000.
“I think it’s good for Liberty. It’s a strong step in our economic development,” said Chris Jarmon, assistant city manager for the City of Liberty. “Now that we have new housing coming online, we’ll begin to see additional business growth. These homes will be affordable for middle-class families — teachers, police officers and others who want to live where they work.”
Builders expect the first homes to be move-in ready by August 2026. The primary homebuilders will be Starlight Homes, a division of Ashton Woods, and Hart Homes, the latter of which is a homebuilder in the Westpointe community.
Each builder is expected to offer at least four floor plans with two to three exterior elevation options, allowing for a variety of home designs and visual appeal.
“You can take the same home plan and with different roofs, brick or stone, it looks completely different,” said Charles Von Schmidt, the owner of Waterstone Development.
Construction is already underway on the infrastructure.
“We’re starting with detention ponds to prevent runoff during heavy rains,” Von Schmidt said. “From there, we’ll move on to grading, utilities and street construction.”
The team is coordinating with the city to extend water and sewer lines, which currently end near the Liberty County Law Enforcement Center. In addition, SH 146 will be widened at the subdivision entrance to accommodate increased traffic flow and improve safety.
Lot delivery to builders is anticipated by May 2026.
Liberty Ranch is being developed in a Public Improvement District (PID), meaning only residents within the neighborhood will pay the associated tax. About 80 percent of the project is already inside city limits, with full annexation expected in the coming weeks.
The development will feature a small private playground but no dedicated walking trails, though sidewalks will run throughout the community. There will be no natural gas lines; Entergy will provide electricity, and one fiber internet provider will be selected to serve all homes. First Liberty Bank is partnering with the development team to offer financing options. First Liberty Title will handle title services.
“The city has been great to work with,” said Von Schmidt. “They’ve supported us through every start and stop, and we’ve been working on this since 2020. These days, there aren’t many true community banks, but First Liberty Bank is one — and we were happy to partner with them.”
Material shortages related to providing electricity to the development, along with shortages lingering from COVID, slowed down the project. Von Schmidt said everything is finally coming together.
The subdivision is designed with features similar to Westpointe in Dayton, including street widths that exceed Liberty’s minimum code.
“We wanted to match the feel and quality of our Westpointe subdivision, even though the City of Liberty didn’t require it,” said Von Schmidt.
A natural tree line will remain along the north and south borders of the community, offering added privacy.
“If you are driving by on Highway 146, you’ll see rooftops, but it won’t look like a subdivision that was just stuck in a field,” Von Schmidt said.
Liberty Ranch aims to be the first of several developments for Waterstone Development in the area, with plans possibly including higher-end homes in the $500,000 range.
“We believe Liberty County is going to see substantial growth over the next 10 years,” Von Schmidt said. “As long as it’s guided by thoughtful planning and community collaboration, it can be really positive.”
The developer hopes the new neighborhood will set a benchmark for responsible, master-planned growth in the city.
“The real opportunity when you are building a neighborhood like this is to do it right the first time – build quality roads, install proper drainage and systems, and build beautiful homes – all in one cohesive design,” he added.
Von Schmidt hopes Liberty Ranch will serve as a model for future developments, as more people relocate to Liberty County from Houston and Beaumont in search of affordability, convenience and a quieter lifestyle. He said growth in the area has long been hindered by traffic congestion caused by frequent train stoppages on U.S. 90 west of Dayton. With the train overpass project set to begin this summer, he’s optimistic that the issue will finally be resolved.
He said growth does not have to be intimidating or cause fear, if managed correctly.
“There’s nothing wrong with growth,” Von Schmidt said, “as long as there’s a good master plan behind it.”
And so it begins, the destruction of Liberty just as Dayton is being destroyed. If you want to live a nasty big city move to Houston or any if its surrounding suburbs.
You sir are an idiot
Yea people like that shop at the super Walmart, buy things at Tractor Supply, eat at all the restaurants around town, all of witch used to not be here until “growth” happened. They’re ok with the places as long as there are no more people. Not realizing you can’t get the more places unless the people and their money come with it. Economics 101!
I think bob smith is the idiot. Instead of liberty ranch they should call it little Mexico— as it will be. Crime will skyrocket.
This is so very sad to me!
You Sir, are correct, IF managed correctly, growth does not have to be intimidating or cause fear, but please forgive me if myself or any other Liberty County resident fails to trust you in that level of management or growth. All we have to go by are previous areas of “growth” in Liberty County: Colony Ridge, Plum Grove etc. With the “growth” of Liberty Ranch, I am sure we will see a rise in crime rate, drug production and usage, deaths, and gang activities. – I was born in Houston, my parents moved our family to Liberty County to keep us safe! I raised my family here to provide the same level of protection. Yet here we sit….
– I believe Lynyrd Skynyrd said it best: ” Lord, I can’t make any changes, all I can do is write em’ in a song. I can see the concrete slowly creepin, Lord take me in mine before that comes.”
So the answer, because there have been other negative issues, is to never let anyone else move to the area? Like you and your family moved to the area? What about the hundreds of young people we graduate out of all the local high schools? If you’ve watched the real estate market over the years, housing is very limited in this area. What if those younger ones want to live in the area they grew up in and have their families here? According to you, Bob, and James, they should go somewhere else.
The answer would be to not continue to build for “growth” till we are certain that that “growth” and be maintained. Colony Ridge was built to grow the community and look what has happened. Do you know how many teenagers overdosed last year in that area? Do you know how many teenagers died? Since that “new growth” was established, are you aware of the increase in gang-related crimes? My answer would be for our community to look into it and then decide if their so-called “growth” is what is best or needed for our area. – As far as graduates who moved off and want to come back, please do… and raise your families… I assure you they will find housing just as I did, and my children have. Sometimes in small town USA, houses aren’t necessarily listed online but you can dang sure find one if you know someone who knows someone.
When the graduates do come back, I pray they open a small family business, like Macy’s feed or Chubby’s Meat Packing or the Country Cafe. That is the growth we need
Yes, Colony Ridge has been a mess and continues to be. We for sure do not need anything else like that in the area. I wouldn’t say it was built for growth but more of a developer saw a way to make a fortune at the expense of the community, unfortunately. Also unfortunate, is that you have no way to predict that environment coming or not. Such an example would be Mont Belvieu. It is much bigger than it used to be by far, yet not with the problems that came from the development we’re discussing. If you’re saying it needs to be managed properly or efficiently, I couldn’t agree with you more!
I also agree with you on the hopes of the small businesses being opened. That’s always a great thing!
Mont Belvieu has a host of problems that are quite similar to the ones in those developments, they are just hidden away in “classy, upscale bs.” I have a few friends who bought homes in Mont Belvieu and have since moved back to the Hardin area. Kids doing lines in the bathrooms, teenagers breaking into teachers’ vehicles, the ability to buy drugs on Snapchat, adults jumping kids into gangs (all of this took place blocks from the HEB, heart of Mont Belvieu) … It’s there, I assure you!
Since I’ve been back, I haven’t witnessed the issues I’m speaking of in our town. While I would love to think that it would be graduates from our area that will move into this new development, I will bet over 70% will be people coming from other towns, bringing all the confusion and chaos with them. Which is fine IF it can be maintained and managed. I worry that we too will have to hire more police to patrol that area, we too will be loosing children to addiction, we too will be worried of gang violence.
Reflecting on past experiences and experiences others have with similar situations, both successes and failures, provides valuable insights that can inform our decisions and actions going forward. By analyzing patterns, identifying recurring themes, and learning from mistakes, we can make more informed choices and avoid repeating negative outcomes.
– I truly do hope that I am wrong and I will pray that this will be an amazing thing for our small town and that God’s hand will be on it.
“I will pray that this will be an amazing thing for our small town and that God’s hand will be on it.”
Amen to that! That makes 2 of us.
Km Texas, you are absolutely a power hungry democrat. What people are saying is not against growth. They are against another colony ridge, and that’s exactly what you are going to get. Oh well maybe they’ll vote for you,,,right!
I had to stop laughing to type! That’s like the 3rd time you’ve called me a democrat on here over time if you don’t agree, and you’ve done so with others. At least you’re consistent with your insulting!
I don’t think you had to stop laughing, I think you are on fire because he called it exactly right.
Well that would be a “No”, sorry to disappoint. Definitely not power hungry or a democrat! I do find it entertaining how thats his go-to insult though. Thats actually offensive to democrats! Apparently you agree! I was like that too back in the 90’s when I was ignorant and couldnt think past the narrative talking points. Its all good though.
Authorities are searching for a man accused in the fatal stabbing of his roommate Friday evening in the Colony Ridge community south of Plum Grove. Pedro got stabbed. Third World.
I see. 1 In TheCourt of AppealsNinth District of Texas at Beaumont ________________ NO. 09-20-00023-CV ________________ CHARLES VON SCHMIDT, AppellantV. JOHN WELLS III, Appellee________________________________________________________________________On Appeal from the 411th District CourtPolk County, TexasTrial Cause No. CIV32745 ________________________________________________________________________MEMORANDUM OPINION John Wells III sued Charles Von Schmidt for violations of the Texas Elections Code resulting from newspaper advertisements and mailers Von Schmidt had published and mailed to the public during a 2018 runoff election for a Polk County District Court Judge position in which Wells was the losing candidate. Following jury findings in favor of Wells, the trial court entered judgment based on those findings and awarded Wells damages and costs. In one issue, Von Schmidt
2 challenges the legal and factual sufficiency of the evidence to support the jury’s verdict asking whether a direct campaign expenditure can constitute a campaign contribution in violation of the Texas Elections Code if the expenditure is made without the prior express consent or approval of the supported candidate. We will reverse and render.I. BackgroundIn 2018, Wells and Travis Kitchens were the Republican candidates in a runoff election for a Polk County District Judge position. During the election, Von Schmidt, an individual voter, emailed the same questionnaire to both candidates seeking information regarding their qualifications, experience, and stances on certain issues. The email advised that the information would be used to inform voters but would not take a position advocating for one or the other. Kitchens answered the questions Von Schmidt submitted via return email, but Wells did not respond to the questionnaire.After seeing Kitchens’s qualifications as provided in the email responses, Von Schmidt decided to support Kitchens but did not tell either candidate this. Instead, Von Schmidt took out two newspaper advertisements in local papers and sent out mailers conducting a side-by-side comparison of the candidates, which encouraged voters to support Kitchens. At the bottom of the advertisements and mailers, there was printed this statement, “Political ad paid for by Charles Von Schmidt and not
Well, that is not reassuring at all!!!
Money can free anyone.
Gated community developer indicted on five felony charges related to fraud
by Steve W Stewart Jan 11, 2016
CedarPoint (680×486).jpg
Charles Michael Von Schmidt is the developer of Cedar Point on the eastern shore of Lake Livingston. He has been found not guilty by a Polk County Jury on charges related to fraud.
A man who was developing a gated community on the shores of Lake Livingston could spend the rest of his life in a different type of “gated community” if prosecutors have their way. PolkCountyToday.com is reporting that the Polk County Grand Jury has indicted Charles Michael Von Schmidt of five felony charges related to the development of an exclusive neighborhood known as “Cedar Point”.
The Cedar Point neighborhood consists of 2,500 lots on 430 acres of land on the Polk County side of Lake Livingston on Highway 190.
According to the indictment, Von Schmidt, who also uses the alias “Charles Steven Montgomery”, is charged with Securing the Execution of a Document by Deception; Hindering a Secured Creditor; Tampering with a Government Record; Fraudulent Filing of a Financing Statement; and Making a False Statement to Obtain Property or Credit.
Von Schmidt has since been arraigned in the 411th District Court where he pleaded not guilty, and the presiding judge has set bond at a combined total of $500,000.00. Von Schmidt’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 28th.
Prosecutors allege that Von Schmidt intended to defraud or deceive the complainants in the case by causing them to execute a document which purported to release their interest in numerous lots in the subdivision. Additionally, it’s alleged that Von Schmidt did not account to the complainants for the proceeds of the sale of lots in the subdivision as required by their security agreement.
According to prosecutors, if convicted of one of the first degree felony offenses, Von Schmidt faces 5 to 99 years in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000.00.
© Copyright 2025 KJAS/Rayburn Broadcasting Co 765 Hemphill Street, Jasper, TX | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Powered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital.
The more houses and apartments that are being built everywhere the more we are sinking. People wants to know why their houses are getting flooded well the water has no water to go but into houses and businesses concrete is taking over instead of land, trees, grass.