Walkable Volusia

06/22/2026

Today, Walkable Volusia provided all candidates for city and county council offices with the Better Communities Pledge, an opportunity for them to support our common-sense agenda for making our communities safe, walkable, and affordable. Walkable Volusia does not endorse candidates, but voters deserve to know what candidates will prioritize pedestrian and bicyclist safety, low-impact infill development, zoning and land use reform, and public transit. We await their responses.

06/19/2026

We need your help to create a stronger community! Be part of our advocacy and education efforts by becoming a member at WalkableVolusia.org/Join. Link in our bio!

06/18/2026

This is completely fixable.

1. Reduce reliance on tourism by expanding affordable housing options in the greater downtown area. Those are year-round customers.

2. Redevelop empty lots and reclaim land from (largely unused) parking lots to create more mixed-use retail options for businesses, which will put downward pressure on commercial rents and reduce the power individual landlords have to shutter businesses.

3. Remove tattoo parlors from the list of allowed uses in the downtown zoning district and require that first-floor commercial be retail or restaurants, not offices.

4. Fund a permanent, free circulator from the SunRail station. People have just stopped coming because of the missing link between the station and downtown.

5. Enhance bike infrastructure, including trail connecters, to drive bicycle traffic from surrounding areas.

Downtown DeLand is sounding the alarm. Several high-profile shops and restaurants have closed in recent weeks, and business owners say they are struggling to keep their doors open.

06/12/2026

WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Walkable Volusia is creating our first long-term strategic plan. If you have five minutes, let us know what you think we are doing well (or not so well!) and help us a chart our course for better, stronger communities!

Please click the link to complete this form.

06/10/2026

We are thrilled to announce the next installment of Walkable Volusia University on July 11th at DeLand City Hall! Dr. Asal Mohamadi Johnson, PhD, is a professor, scholar, and published researcher in the fields of urban planning and public health. How does our city building affect us, physically and mentally? Why does sprawl make us lonely, isolated, and sick? Join us to find out! Link in bio to reserve your spot. Free to attend and lunch provided!

06/10/2026

Join us for the next installment of Walkable Volusia University on July 11th! Dr. Asal Mohamadi Johnson, PhD, of Stetson University will be presenting on Building Healthy Cities: The Intersection of Urban Planning and Public Health. The event will be held at the DeLand City Commission Chamber and lunch will be provided.

Join us for the newest installment of Walkable Volusia University: Building Healthy Cities - the Intersection of Urban Planning and Public Health, presented by Dr. Asal Mohamadi Johnson, PhD, of Stetson University. Dr. Mohamadi Johnson is a scholar of urban planning and public health, a published re...

06/08/2026

Port Orange has some of the worst bicyclist infrastructure in the county, and some of the busiest and most congested roadways. Tragedies like this are inevitable until something changes.

Port Orange police said a pedestrian was hit and killed in the 5000 block of Williamson Boulevard on June 6.

06/08/2026

We want to keep y'all in the loop as we move into a period of growth and transformation unprecedented in our org's history. Following the election of our new board in May, we have hit the ground running with new initiatives that you will start seeing soon! We are engaging in long-term strategic planning, setting specific, measurable goals for success. We are ramping up our community outreach (book club coming soon 👀) and creating new assets for our neighbors, like an interactive bike rack map for the major cities. We are starting to put together the first statewide network of bike/ped, pro-housing, and safe streets organizations for information sharing and collaboration. And today we launched a new page on our website (walkablevolusia.org/projecthelp) where community stakeholders can get our advocates pushing for safety improvements, sustainable infill, and affordability housing across Volusia. There has never been a better time to get involved and sustain our mission. Become a member at the link in our bio for just $10 a year. Thank you to all our members, business partners, elected and appointed city allies, and supporters who have made the last two years possible. Onward!

06/08/2026

We are excited to launch our Project Help page at WalkableVolusia.org for community stakeholders looking for help with their initiatives! If you are advocating for bicycle and pedestrian safety and infrastructure, sustainable infill housing, downtown revitalization, or common-sense city code updates we want to jump in the fight with you!

https://www.walkablevolusia.org/projecthelp

Get Walkable Volusia in your fight.

06/01/2026

Car-dependency and sprawl were sold to us by the auto industry and the politicians they owned. Our elected officials today have inherited the inertia of that era, content to leave things where they stand and relegate the people to a life of sickness, isolation, and a profound cultural malaise. The only thing that can reverse it is us. Become a member at the link in our bio for just $10/year and make a difference!