Penn Township is no longer accusing the Club at Blackthorne, a private event and wedding venue located in a housing community, of violating the municipality’s zoning ordinance.
However, several other legal disputes surrounding the clubhouse continue.
The Blackthorne Investors appeal and clubhouse zoning variance request will continue to be discussed by the zoning hearing board at 7 p.m. May 14 in the township municipal building, located at 2001 Municipal Court.
The 36,000-square-foot site — the subject of longstanding community and legal disputes — is located off of Harrison City-Export Road in Penn Township’s Blackthorne Estates housing community. It is accompanied by a golf course.
Blackthorne Investors, the developer of Blackthorne Estates, challenged an occupancy permit issued in November to the clubhouse by township zoning officer Adam Hlad. Blackthorne Investors argue that the clubhouse cannot operate as a private event center and restaurant without maintaining its ties to the golf course, according to the appeal.
The township issued a zoning violation notice to the clubhouse Feb. 9.
Clubhouse owners Anthony and Leah Cifelli appealed the zoning violation and the challenge by Blackthorne Investors.
They also filed a zoning variance application last month, requesting permission to operate without ties to the golf course.
The Cifellis argue the occupancy permit issued in November confirmed the clubhouse could operate without ties to the golf course. The variance application says the clubhouse owners have made “substantial expenditures in reliance upon its belief that the use (as a private event center) was permitted.”
“If the variance is denied, it would impose an unnecessary hardship on the clubhouse owners,” the variance application says.
On Thursday, township Solicitor Gavin Robb withdrew the municipality’s zoning violation notice during a zoning hearing board meeting.
Related:
• Club at Blackthorne requests zoning variance to operate without ties to golf course
• Penn Township accuses The Club at Blackthorne of violating the municipality’s zoning ordinance
• Ace Bartenders owners purchase The Club at Blackthorne for $3.9M amid zoning dispute
• Blackthorne Estates plans to build new golf facility, open golf course in spring
• Blackthorne golf course, clubhouse will not close, township states
• Blackthorne clubhouse owner attempts to resolve dispute with golf course, lawsuit states
• Blackthorne Estates residents weigh in on upcoming Penn Township golf course vote
• Township alleges zoning violation over revised use of golf clubhouse
Blackthorne development dates back to 1993
The Club at Blackthorne initially was granted approval for use as a clubhouse for the golf course through a planned residential development (PRD) designation issued in 1993.
The clubhouse opened for golf operations in 2018, according to Tom Easton, a member of Blackthorne Investors. It originally housed a pro shop, storage area for golf carts, locker rooms, office space, a banquet hall, a kitchen and an unfinished restaurant or grill room.
Until 2022, the lower level of the clubhouse was used for golf course operations with the understanding that a formal lease agreement would follow, according to the zoning variance application.
The former owner of the golf course and clubhouse, Robert Lampl, died in February 2022, Easton said, turning the properties over to new owners. Jeannine Schemm took ownership of the clubhouse and Bob Vucelich became the golf course owner.
The variance application accuses the golf course of failing to pay rent, utilities or insurance and causing physical damage to the clubhouse. The golf course also rejected several lease proposals drafted by Schemm, according to the variance application.
Vucelich could not be reached for comment Thursday night. Vucelich also owns Bedrock Developers, which has built homes in the Blackthorne Estates community.
The clubhouse has operated as a private wedding and events venue since November 2022, according to court records. The golf course did not open for the 2023 season and has remained closed to the public since then.
Zoning officals will continue discussion May 14
The golf course requested approval from the township in May 2023 to construct its own clubhouse. About a week later, the township filed a lawsuit against the clubhouse, golf course, Blackthorne Investors and Bedrock Developers in Westmoreland County Court.
Four months later, the township commissioners voted 4-1 against construction of a new clubhouse, citing the possibility of increased traffic in a residential area near the proposed site. Blackthorne Investors filed an appeal about two months later, and the township reversed its decision in March 2024.
The township shortly thereafter ended its lawsuit against the clubhouse, golf course, Blackthorne Investors and Bedrock Developers.
According to the clubhouse’s variance application, “the township advised the original clubhouse’s prior ownership that it could continue to hold events and operate without any connection to the golf course and further demonstrated that fact by leaving the certificate of occupancy in place for the clubhouse use without the golf course.”
Schemm sold the Club at Blackthorne to the Cifellis for $3.9 million late last year.
The Cifellis invited Vucelich to visit the clubhouse Jan. 3, according to the variance application. Vucelich expressed interest in purchasing a portion of the lower level of the clubhouse. The Cifellis offered to lease the entire bottom floor to Vucelich and asked him to make an offer in writing, the variance application says.
Vucelich told the Cifellis on Jan. 8 he would not make a written offer for the space, according to the variance application. Golf course ownership has refused an offer by the Cifellis to enter into a joint operational agreement, the variance application says.
Mike Castellini, secretary of the Blackthorne Estates HOA board, told TribLive in February he “looks forward to a productive partnership” with the Cifellis. The Cifellis also have met with the HOA to discuss an arrangement where residents could pay a fee to use the facility’s bottom floor.