When Mr. and Mrs. Saha purchased the farm, back in 1971, there was no plumbing, electricity or heat.   Today, their home is a beautiful farmhouse that they painstakingly restored themselves. They chose to move to this location with their five children and make the sacrifices necessary during the lengthy period of restoration and renovation to fulfill their American Dream.  Two of their daughters and their families live on adjacent property. Today, the Saha’s and their grandchildren enjoy the beauty and open space that their farm provides. It would be devastating for Mr. and Mrs. Saha to be forced to move away from their daughters and grandchildren.  It would be impossible to replace their way of life, full of family values and 30 years of sentimental memories, at any price.

It has not been an easy fight.  The City of Coatesville has been relentless and ruthless in their determination to take the Saha farm.  It has been extremely stressful for the Sahas, now in their seventies, living with the fear that they may lose their home and the life they cherish with their children and grandchildren.

The City of Coatesville has a large legal team to support their effort.

Coatesville has spent over $2,000,000 and the project to build the recreation center hasn't even started.

Here is a list of events in chronological order regarding the use (or misuse) of Eminent Domain.

• On April 12, 1999, the City of Coatesville notified Dick Saha at his business in Coatesville, that they intended to condemn their 38.2 acre farm including house, barn and other outbuildings to build a golf course. They never informed them that there was a public meeting that very evening to vote on the Ordinance to condemn. Several days later the ordinance was hand-delivered to the residence by Paul Janssen.
  
  
• On April 21, 1999, the Sahas received via registered mail a letter from the City Solicitor telling them officially of the condemnation and providing them with the Ordinance for Condemnation which described the seven properties involved including their own "38.2 acres with house and outbuildings".
  
  
• In the subsequent weeks, the Sahas joined Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Snyder (also losing their house and property) and launched a political and legal battle.
  
  
• The Sahas secured the only feasibility study that had been completed on the project. The feasibility study's cost & revenue numbers came directly from a brochure published by the American Society of Golf Course Architects. The scope of the feasibility study was for a municipal golf course on the city landfill (110 acres) and some surrounding properties. The Saha property was not even included in the study. The Snyder property was identified as optional. At some point, Paul Janssen (by his own admission) penciled in the Saha's Valley Township property, not realizing that some of the property was in West Caln Township.
  
  
• The City of Coatesville decided arbitrarily (without feasibility study or real cost/benefit analysis) to condemn the Saha & Snyder properties along with five other properties (totaling approximately 100 acres).
  
  
• Five properties are in Valley and West Caln Township, without the benefit of voting rights in the City of Coatesville.
  
  
• We have secured 1800 petition signatures of citizens who are against the Condemnation Ordinance. 571 signatures are from registered voters in the City of Coatesville who voted in the last election. The City Officials have ignored the petition.
  
  
• At the time, the Sahas appealed to State Representatives for support. They received positive responses from Curt Schroder, Carol Rubley and Art Hershey. Their own State Representative, Tim Hennessey choose to be neutral.
  
  
• The City of Coatesville has held numerous meetings describing their revitalization program for Coatesville. The Recreation Center which is planned for Valley Township (outside the city limits) has a very dynamic scope. Initially the project was described as an 18-hole golf course, executive par-3 course, miniature golf, driving range, batting cages, fishing, boating, hiking trail, tennis courts and a clubhouse. In the last presentation, the City Manager added a bowling alley and go-carts.
  
  
• At the time, there was absolutely no supporting cash flow, ROI or Cost /Benefit Analysis. As I mentioned earlier, the cost benefit numbers that the city has included in their presentations were lifted directly out of the American Society of Golf Course Architects brochure depicting industry averages.
  
  
• The landfill that is being considered for this project, has a greater than 30% slope, close proximity to Brandywine Creek, a gas pipeline running through it and a 30 year landfill that would need to be capped. All these characteristics translate into higher than normal costs to meet environmental requirements.
  
  
• There are 77 golf courses within 25 miles of Coatesville, 31 are public with at least one new golf course, being built 3 miles from the proposed site.
  
  
• Since the initial ordinance was issued, the City of Coatesville has backed off from condemning the Snyder and Saha 200 year old restored houses. They have indicated that the property owners can keep their houses and a negotiable lot around the proximity of their houses. They are still pursuing condemnation of the rest of the Saha property, approximately 34 acres to build a racquetball facility and pitch & putt (although, the Coatesville City Manager admits that no plans have been finalized as to what would really be put there).
  
  
• The Sahas continue to fight the condemnation. They do not want to loose their farmland to a pitch & putt, racquetball court or worse yet clubhouse, parking lot or proposed bowling alley.
  
  
• The Sahas also continue to fight the condemnation because the City has acted irresponsibly (no thorough feasibility study and absolutely no valid financial analysis).
  
  
• In addition the City of Coatesville has treated the Saha's unfairly and unethically by not informing them of the public meeting when the initial vote took place. Nor did the City Manager take the time to present the project and the plans to the landowners and give them an opportunity to ask questions before issuing them formal condemnation notification.
  
  
• In subsequent public meetings, when 300 supporters showed up to voice their displeasure, agendas were changed to table this issue. When the people rebelled, an alternative meeting was scheduled that turned into a raucous confrontation because the city brought out its police force, barricaded all parking in proximity to the location where the meeting was to be held and changed the agenda to be a presentation on the revitalization of Coatesville.
  
  
• Then a third meeting was scheduled, again 300 people showed up, the room where the meeting was held was at least 100 degrees, there were huge noisy fans with an inaudible sound system. Again the City started the meeting with the same hour-long presentation. Most of the presentation covers the revitalization plan for Coatesville. This meeting was to discuss the proposed Recreation Center in Valley Township. Many people spoke out about their concerns, but neither the City Council nor the participants could hear what was being said. The city ended the meeting prematurely when opponents to the plan spoke.
  
  
• Other Public Meeting agendas are structured so that discussions on this project are tabled until after the formal lengthy agenda has been covered. As we are bringing up our issues and concerns in regard to this project three of the seven council members just get up and left. They quickly become tired or bored with the situation and our rebuttals. Meanwhile, the Saha family, especially Nancy Saha (age 68) and Richard Saha (age 70), live every moment with the stress of this injustice and the associated legal costs. The Saha's can't just walk out and leave.
  
  
• June 14, 1999, the City voted to augment their own counsel with another legal firm that specializes in eminent domain. In addition, they voted to approve another feasibility and topographical study, this time to include the Saha property.
  
  
• The Sahas asked Coatesville if they intended to do a more thorough financial study, the City Manager deferred to the Council, stating that it was up to them and then no one answered. We do not know whether they intend to follow up with a real Cost/Benefit Analysis.
  
  
• July 2, 1999, the Sahas with Lawyer met with three Council members, City Manager Paul Janssen and City Solicitor John Carnes for negotiations. The Sahas offered to negotiate with the city for their property along the railroad bed. This would allow the city to move north to south under the route 30 bypass. The city never responded.
  
  
• October 26, 1999, the city offered to purchase between 6 and 9 acres for a cost of $13,570 per acre in addition to the railroad bed the Sahas already offered. This property was for a driving range. The Sahas declined the offer because they did not want to sell and the land was not necessary for the total project.
  
  
• Between April 19, 1999 and June 12, 2000, the Sahas attended all Council meetings. The city tabled all discussions related to the use of eminent domain. The Sahas were treated with the same indifference and stonewalling from the beginning. The standard answer to all questions was "our lawyer told us not to talk about it".
  
  
• The Sahas could not legally prevent the city's engineering firm (Carroll Engineering) from entering their property for surveying. Even though the surveyors were supposed to give 24 hour notification, at least six times they refused notification.
  
  
• June 9, 2000, the Sahas found out from a legal notice in the local newspaper the city was introducing a second ordinance to take their property via eminent domain. This time, the city is taking 41.5 acres, leaving them with a 6 acre island, separating them from their two children and husbands and five grandchildren. The change from 9 to 44 acres was suggested by the city eminent domain lawyers and Insignia Hotel chain. According to this new plan, the Sahas would get non-exclusive use of their own driveway. However detailed plans on the use of their property is still not available. The Sahas see this as a vindictive move by the city to force them to sell their land or lose it all.
  
  
• June 12, 2000, the city introduced a second ordinance to condemn property by eminent domain. Valley supervisors presented their opposition to the project, noting the predatory nature of Coatesville's actions.
  
  
• June 13, 2000, a special session was held at 5:00 PM to pass the first reading of the ordinance. The City Council members refused a suggestion to put the $30 million project to referendum, in fear that it would not pass. Coatesville residents strongly voiced their need for a foodstore in town, before a golf course outside of town, and that recreation should be placed inside the city.
  
  
• June 19, 2000, the city held an open house to present the project. A public relations firm was hired for $25,000 retainer by Coatesville, and the Insignia /ESG firm was hired to plan the hotel and resort.
  
  
• June 26, 2000, the city passed the second reading of the new ordinance by a vote of 6 to 1 in favor. At all three meetings, a large number of residents voiced their displeasure with the project, including the affected land owners. This did not affect the Coatesville vote. The first ordinance from April 1999 was removed.
  
  
• July 22, 2000, Dick and Nancy Saha received papers from John Carnes, City Solicitor, that Coatesville filed a "Declaration of Taking to Condemn" with the Chester County Courthouse. Coatesville will be taking the Saha property. This is after Paul Janssen, Coatesville City Manager said in the newspaper that the taking was on the back burner.

• In January 2002, Judge Mahon ordered the city to seek subdivision approval from Valley before taking the land.

• The city appealed to the Commonwealth Court, which in April 2003 reversed Mahon’s order and affirmed its ability to condemn the Saha land.

• The Sahas asked the state Supreme Court to hear their appeal, but their request was denied in December 2003.

• At this point, the city has condemned the property and currently holds the title. The Sahas, however, continue to occupy the land because they are challenging the declaration of taking, and courts have not yet granted the city possession.

• Since the legal actions began in 2000, various Pennsylvania courts have repeatedly and consistently sided with the city. Chester County Common Pleas Judge Edward Griffith handed the city its latest win on March 15, 2005.   Judge Edward Griffith ruled the three amendments to the city’s Home Rule Charter that sought to stop the city’s attempt to turn part of the Saha farm into a golf course were illegal and invalid because they were unconstitutional and overly broad.

• The city’s critics appealed the decision, and countering that appeal could have delayed the city’s plans somewhat.  But there were only so many appeals left. It seemed the city was close to taking physical possession of the Saha land. In March, in response to a suggestion that the appeal process could be never-ending, city attorney Herb Bass said, "Litigation comes to an end. I can tell you that."

• Then on April 7, 2005, City Manager Paul G. Janssen Jr. resigned to become borough manager in Norristown. 

• For six years Janssen argued the golf course was the key to the city’s $700 million development plan. 

• Now, Janssen is gone, and all five of the city council members who had been in line behind him decided that they didn't need the golf course after all..

• On May 9, 2005, Saha and Coatesville City Council officially put an end Monday to the land dispute that has gone on for six years, costing the Saha’s over $300,000 in legal fees.

• In exchange for dropping the eminent domain case, the Sahas  agreed to sell the city five acres of land along an abandoned railroad bed for a price far less than the $300,000 they spent on legal fees.  In addition, Saha agreed to grant the city right of first refusal if his family ever chose to sell 26 acres of its property.