09/13/2026
While we had hoped to avoid commenting publicly on this, Volusia County Councilman Danny Robins has been spreading misinformation about Walkable Volusia across social media and has deleted our comments clarifying our positions. It is necessary for us to set the record straight about what we actually believe and advocate for.
First and foremost, Walkable Volusia is completely non-partisan. It has been suggested that we have a political slant, and that is patently false. We count Republicans, Independents, and Democrats amongst our members, and Republicans, Democrats, and NPA candidates signed our Better Communities Pledge. We are a 501(c)4 and cannot be partisan.
Secondly, it was suggested that Walkable Volusia supports developing farm lands and rural residential areas. That is literally the opposite of what we advocate for. Suburban sprawl is by far the most damaging, expensive form of development and we are totally opposed to it. It was also said that we support large tract homes, high density development, and new CRAs. That is all false. We recognize that state preemption puts up roadblocks to meaningfully tackling some of these issues, and that power is shared among various levels of local government, but we believe that many elected officials have thrown up their hands instead of seeking creative solutions. We want to be part of those solutions.
Let's talk about what Walkable Volusia does believe in. We believe that it is unacceptable that Volusia is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous places in the United States for pedestrians and bicyclists. We believe that sprawl creates car dependency that clogs our roadways, endangers motorists, and harms our health. We believe that walkable downtowns should be the economic and cultural centerpiece of every community, a place where residents can easily access their everyday needs and where small local businesses thrive. After all, walkable cities are not new -- that's just how we built every city for all of human history. It's the sprawl that's new!
While Danny may have given the impression that Walkable Volusia supports candidates and nothing else, our Better Communities Pledge was very much a side-project to make our views known to and build relationships with current and future elected officials. What we do every day is host educational programming, communicate with elected officials about sustainable development, research best practices for improving our cities, and connect members of the community through a common belief that we can do better. That our streets can be safer, that our housing costs can be lower, and that walkability can make us a happier, healthier, more connected Volusia community.
We don't think any of that is particularly controversial. But if you do, let's chat! We have an open door policy. We reached out to Danny privately last night and invited him to talk with us. There is probably more that unites us than divides us.
