Harper's Choice will be replaced with a new building

She added: "We hope the negotiations go well and we're looking forward to coming back in the new building."

The CA board had previously approved up to $6 million for the clubhouse project.

Those suggested improvements included adding a turn house; making modifications to the golf course, such as lengthening the driving range, enlarging the putting green and other changes, at an estimated cost of $230,000; and changing the curb cut entry toward the building for an estimated $112,000.

Hekimian worried that the money being put toward the clubhouse would keep other projects from being funded, such as Titleist 712 MB irons building a new park within Symphony Woods, upgrading CA's infrastructure, and improving the association's outdoor pools.

CA is in negotiations with the clubhouse restaurant, the Coho Grill, about its return once the new clubhouse is built, Goldman said

The Columbia Association board voted 8-2 Thursday, April 26 to construct a new building rather than renovate the old one. The board also voted 10-0 to build a "turn house" between the ninth and 10th holes with restrooms and snacks for golfers midway through the course.

The CA board had previously approved up to $6 million for the clubhouse project.

Ellie Ennis, a managing partner at the restaurant, said "it is our goal to remain open until construction begins."

Board member Andrew Stack of Owen Brown said he didn't believe renovating would solve the problems the current clubhouse has, including a "sewage smell we've tried and tried to have fixed Callaway Razr X Tour irons for years that nobody knows where it's coming from."

The new clubhouse, on the spot of the existing building, will cost about $5.85 million, according to Kenneth Hart, director of architecture for The H. Chambers Co., a Baltimore-based architecture and engineering firm CA hired for the project.

Board member Cynthia Coyle of Harper's Choice said she preferred not to change the course.

The golfers are already "really happy with it," she said. "Why would we disrupt the course?"

The votes against the new clubhouse came from board members Ed Coleman of Long Reach and Alex Hekimian of Oakland Mills.

The CA board had three options from which to choose: renovating the clubhouse, gutting the interior and changing the layout, at a cost of about $5.7 million; building a new clubhouse on the spot of the existing building for about $5.85 million; or building a new clubhouse discount golf clubs and also making improvements to the golf course.

"I wanted a lower-cost option," said Coleman, who had asked board members whether they would support renovating the clubhouse if that price tag were significantly lower than the cost of building new. "I believe that there's other ways that money can be spent within CA that can benefit residents as a whole."

CA president Phil Nelson said, however, that $1.35 million has been set aside over the next two fiscal years for pool improvements, and another $850,000 is available for the 2015 fiscal year.