YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – More than 550 people have agreed they don’t want to see a steam heat plant open in downtown Youngstown.

A petition with 553 signatures was turned in to Mayor Tito Brown Tuesday. It was presented to him by the SOBE Concerned Citizens group.

The group has been rallying against SOBE Energy Solutions opening a plant where it will use a conversion technology that converts tires and plastic into gas.

Lynn Anderson said members of the group met with Mayor Brown in early February and were told to go out and find out how many people were against the opening of the plant. So, the group formed a petition with a zoning opinion.

The zoning opinion states that a heavy industrial plant cannot be put in a mixed-use community zoning location which is intended for businesses, restaurants, apartments, churches and schools.

SOBE Energy Solutions has already purchased the Steam Heat Plant on Youngstown’s North Avenue and is awaiting approval from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The group members met with Mayor Brown Tuesday in a private meeting. Anderson said they are going to continue pursuing the zoning issue in hopes of preventing the plant from opening in Youngstown.