Their vocal protests were enough to convince the Clermont planning and zoning commission Sept. 6 to deny a renewal permit to Orlando developer Maury L. Carter & Associates Inc. on an estimated $15 million project. The developer hopes to override the denial by taking its permit renewal application directly to the full city council in 30 days.

The company's principals, Maury Carter, chairman and his son, Daryl, president, couldn't be reached at GlobeSt.com's publication deadline for comment on what they might do if the city council backs up the planning and zoning commission.

The Carters are prominent land brokers, developers and philanthropists in this growing city of 16,500 permanent residents, up from 8,500 in 1990, according to the U.S. Census. The Carters received a city development permit two years ago that would expire by Oct. 1 of this year if no ground-breaking took place.