A family that plans to turn its Cedar Grove farm into an upscale, 1,200-home golf course community has received the permit needed to build the course.
The Korfhage and Plenge family, which has farmed 838 acres off Ky. 480 for 56 years, received a conditional-use permit from the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments to build the course, a clubhouse, restrooms and maintenance garages.
The permit marks the third seal of approval from government agencies for the project. Last year Shepherdsville city leaders applauded the development and voted to annex the farm.
In January, the Bullitt County Joint Planning Commission recommended that the farm be rezoned to allow the subdivision, and Shepherdsville approved the request.
The City Council and planning commission have been unanimous in their support of the subdivision, called Heritage Hill, and the golf course, called Heritage Club.
Heritage Club's permit garnered unanimous approval from the Board of Adjustments this month. No neighbors of the farm opposed any of the permits.
"Our family's been in the area for years, and we've always tried to do things right and on the up and up," said Ted Korfhage, who is leading the development with cousin Steve Plenge. "We're going to do something here that the community can be proud of."
Korfhage said his family hopes construction on the golf course will begin by the end of the year. The developers said last year that they hoped construction would begin in the spring, but the project has been delayed by financing hurdles.
The family initially sought to finance the project though local banks, but the cost made the local institutions reluctant, Korfhage said. Now the family is working with larger banks.
Korfhage declined to give a cost for construction. The golf course design has been completed by architect Doug Beach of Boynton Beach, Fla.
The family is working to get an environmental permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.
For that permit, Korfhage said, the developers must show how they would relocate or alter ditches or streams. They're working on a plan, though neither the subdivision nor the golf course will affect nearby Cedar Creek or the Salt River, he said.
Engineering work for the development has taken longer than the family expected. Places where golf cart paths will cross subdivision streets have to be designed, although some of the northern streets might not be built for 10 to 15 years.
Korfhage said construction on the first homes in Heritage Hill could begin early next year.
Source: The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.)