Voters in Coatesville likely will be able to vote on three ballot questions this fall that are designed to derail the city's plan to turn a family farm in a neighboring township into a recreation center.
The Sahas, the Valley Township family that is fighting the city's effort to condemn its farm, plan to announce today that they have gathered more than enough signatures on petitions to put the questions on the Nov. 4 ballot.
"The thing is that the people in Coatesville... are against this," Dick Saha said yesterday. "They would rather see [development] done in downtown Coatesville" than on his 48-acre farm outside the city, he said.
Coatesville City Council Vice President David Griffith said he could not comment on the proposals because he had not seen them. The city wants to use all but six acres of the Sahas' land for the complex, which is the centerpiece of its economic revitalization plan.
"We have to see what they want to do, and it would have to be checked by our solicitor," Griffith said.
The proposals, which would amend the city's charter, would not affect the city's ability to condemn the farm but would limit its ability to use the land.
The three amendments would require the city to obtain permission from voters before it could develop a golf facility, compete against a similar private enterprise, or lease the property to a private operator.
"Each of the amendments basically takes power away from city and returns it to people," said Patrick Sellers, a former school board member. "They are going to have to ask the people if they want" projects like this.
Sellers heads Coatesville Watchdog, a citizens' group recently formed to combat the city's plan to condemn the farm.
Saha said this is the third attempt to rein in the City Council via referenda. Two others, one in 1999 and one last summer, failed to get on the ballot due to technicalities.
Barring a successful appeal by the city, the questions will appear on the November ballot and would take effect if a majority of voters choose "yes," Chester County voting officials said.
The Sahas are appealing an April Commonwealth Court ruling that the city acted legally in its effort to condemn the property.
