Blackthorne Estates plans to build new golf facility, open course in spring

Golfers can return to the course at Penn Township’s Blackthorne Estates community this spring.

After being closed to the public in 2023, the course will reopen this season and a new golf facility will be built, according to an agreement reached this week between Blackthorne Investors and the township.

The original clubhouse for the golf course — the Club at Blackthorne, owned by Jeannine Schemm — has been closed to the community since November 2022, according to a lawsuit filed by the township in May against the clubhouse, golf course, Blackthorne Investors and Bedrock Developers.

The clubhouse — which housed a pro shop, restrooms and social gathering space for golfers — instead has been run as a private event and wedding venue since November, the lawsuit states.

Bob Vucelich, owner of the golf course and Bedrock Developers, requested permission to build a new clubhouse near Kapalua Lane in Blackthorne to allow the golf course to operate.

Township commissioners voted 4-1 in August against construction of a new facility, citing the possibility of increased traffic in a residential area near the proposed site. Blackthorne Investors, the developer for Blackthorne Estates, filed an appeal in October.

According to court documents, the agreement will allow a developer to construct a temporary golf facility — an open-air, two-story, 32-by-30-foot shelter — and a gravel parking lot near the intersection of Spinosa and Kapalua lanes.

“This is an agreement so that they can move forward with the development of the site as long as they comply with the conditions of the agreement,” said township solicitor Michael Korns.

Gary Falatovich, attorney for Blackthorne Investors, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The shelter will later be expanded and closed off once the developer submits plans and drawings to the township, the agreement states. The structure can include a clubhouse, grill room and other facilities.

The township will have 30 days to review the plan and provide feedback, according to the agreement. The developer can comply with the township’s request, work out an agreement with the township or bring the dispute to court.

Dan Settnek, treasurer of the Blackthorne Estates homeowners association, said he would like to see residents permitted back in the Club at Blackthorne, but he is grateful the community will be able to golf again.

“Everything else will fall into place,” he said. “I don’t know what that means, but right now, I just want to golf.”

Blackthorne Estates — located off of Harrison City-Export Road — is about 300 acres, including the 18-hole golf course and the 35,000-square-foot Club at Blackthorne.

Construction for the community was approved by the township in 1993. It was zoned to include 222 single-family homes, 41 carriage homes and 196 manor home units, according to the lawsuit.

To mitigate potential traffic concerns surrounding the new golf facility, Spinosa and Kapalua lanes will be turned into one-way streets and a stop sign will be added at the intersection of the roads.

Kapalua and Spinosa lanes also will be widened, and 12 parallel parking spots will be installed along the roads for use by the residents.

“With those changes and review of traffic numbers … it looks like it will meet standards for residential traffic flow that would be within the acceptable numbers generated by national studies,” Korns said.

The developer, Korns said, also is obligated by the agreement to compensate the Blackthorne Homeowners Association for maintenance costs along the roads, which will be privately owned and maintained by the association.

“There’s always give and take here. We’re always trying to balance the fact that people want to develop property and mitigate impact as best as possible,” Korns said. “We’re just happy that we were able to reach an agreement here and hopefully balance things out as best as we could.”