The 45 acre venture in east Seminole County is five miles north of the 35,000-student University of Central Florida campus which is stretched thin on campus housing units, Emmer and other college shelter analysts contend.

The planning board maintains Portofino is planned at a two-lane traffic nightmare location at McCulloch and Old Lockwood Roads. Residents argue the project proposed near affluent single-family University Estates where homes sit on quarter-acre lots is not consistent with the area's growth plan. And environmentalists say Emmer's newest multifamily community would destroy existing wildlife such as sandhill cranes, deer and foxes.

Seminole County commissioners will rule on Emmer's development permit application Feb. 12 when their chambers are expected to be packed by hooting foes of the project, residents tell GlobeSt.com on condition of anonymity. Emmer couldn't be reached for comment at GlobeSt.com's publication deadline.