Lake County commissioners, listening to their constituents, arestanding by their 5-0 unanimous vote to deny the 68-year-oldLakeland-based firm a rezoning request in a dense residential area."We have all been told by the lawyers not to say anything at thistime, but we can tell you Watkins is evaluating all of the optionsopen to them," Daryl M. Carter, president of Orlando-based Maury L.Carter & Associates, told GlobeSt.com.

Carter sold the 90 acres to Watkins in May. The price equates toabout $55,555 per acre, or an estimated $1.28 psf. The State Road50 and Lake Boulevard site borders the Lake-Orange County line. Thedeal hinges on Watkins winning a rezoning request to build an87,772-sf distribution hub building and terminal for its 18-wheelvehicles.

What puzzles industry watchers is that the county was offeringWatkins a $200,000 incentive package to do the deal in May.