(ABC 6 News)- It’s called the Lemon Hill Solar Project, being built by a Midwest energy company called Ranger Power.

And it’s expected to take up 18 hundred acres of land near the Viola and Haverhill townships just outside of Olmsted County. A project that has both the community in Viola and Haverhill upset.

“We’re taking some of the best farm land in the world, and taking it out of production and taking this productive land away from farmers who could be using it to help them make their living,” said Wayne Pike, a Viola resident.

Ranger Power says the project will provide direct benefits to those living in the area, but those living by the proposed project disagree.

“When that stuff’s going to be right in your backyard, you’re going to notice it, and so we’re not really too pleased about that,” said Ken Everson, another Viola resident.

They say that having the solar panel so close to a property can decrease property value.

“I was about 100-150 feet away from one of the inverters and I could hear that sucker plain as day and 37 degrees isn’t that warm,” Everson said.

Now locals are hoping to put the project on hold, before it officially gets underway.

“When they bring this up for permitting and public utilities reviews it that they say clearly that there’s too many people around that don’t want this in,” said Everson.

People in the area tell me the project is expected to begin in 2027. With over 200 signatures on a petition against the project, they hope they can send the message that this is not something they want in the area.