New life for Nettle Creek Country Club clubhouse in Morris

A new club house will be constructed this year at the Nettle Creek Country Club, after a blaze in 2019 destroyed the previous structure at the golf course.

Earlier this month, the Morris City Council approved three measures regarding the plan to revamp the site that was marred by a fire on April 1, 2019 that destroyed the clubhouse and caused an estimated $2 million in damages.

The property is owned by the Morris Country Club, LLC.

Three measures were approved in connection with the property. First, an annexation agreement was signed between the city and the Morris Country Club, LLC, bringing 3.088 acres of the Nettle Creek club into city limits.

The second measure was the execution of that annexation agreement, which will include the provision that the club pays $1,500 in water tap-on fees and $1,500 in sewer tap-on fees, among other fees.

The final provision was a zoning map amendment, which rezoned the property to B-4, commercial recreational. That zoning will accommodate the new pro shop and bar.

The subject property was previously owned by the private Nettle Creek Country Club and recently purchased by Morris Country Club. Morris Country Club plans to build a new, smaller bar and pro shop. There are no plans currently to bring the rest of the golf course into Morris; the Nettle Creek course and subdivision will remain in unincorporated Grundy County. The 3-acre lot in question borders the city of Morris on Saratoga Road.

The proposed clubhouse went before the city's development review committee back in December.

The new, 2,200 square foot building will be constructed primarily of split-faced block with a pitched roof, and will sit to maximize views of the golf course with overhead doors that can be opened for additional access during warmer weather.

Morris Country Club officials added that they will seek a liquor license for the new clubhouse, and said that there will be beer carts going across the two properties. The Morris Country Club already maintains a liquor license both through both the county and the city of Morris.

The cause of the fire that destroyed the old clubhouse remains undetermined.

A public hearing regarding the annexation agreement was held prior to the vote. There were no public comments during that hearing.