Local businessman David Buchanan has a vision for South Walton that will help traffic issues and preserve the beauty makes the community great. David entered the race for County Commissioner this year in his first bid for elected office. As a long time resident of Walton County, David has witnessed first hand the impressive growth of the county and many of the issues that growth creates. “Healthy things grow,” David comments. “And we as a county need to shepherd that growth in a way that maintains the value of South Walton.”
In addition to increasing parking spaces and beach access points, David supports connecting roads between Highway 98 and 30A. “Its a public safety issue,” he says. “Our first responders need to be able to access anywhere on 30A with acceptable response times because minutes matter in emergency situations.”
One issue David Buchanan is fervently opposed to is making 30A a four lane road. David has vowed to fight that initiative if elected to the seat. “I believe it will detract from the appeal of 30A and negatively impact businesses,” David says. Tomas Gallion, owner of local 30A hotspot Shunk Gulley, agrees. “A four-lane 30A will destroy the character of the community and cause more problems than it solves. There are better options to solve the traffic and parking issues than widening the road,” Gallion said.
David has a unique plan for opening up underutilized sections of the beach that would allow locals to avoid heavily trafficked tourist areas of 30A and enjoy more of the natural beauty of South Walton. “There are about four miles of State Forest that the county can create access roads, parking, restrooms, picnic areas, and biking/jogging trails that would provide local Walton residents their own space to enjoy,” David commented. This section of beach is located east of the Hilton Sandestin and west of Topsail Hill Preserve. He believes providing access to these areas will preserve their natural beauty and give residents additional options for recreation. “Enhancing the forest there would take coordination with the state, so it is important for us to build and maintain healthy relationships with our representative and senator. I believe it is a win/win for residents and tourists.”
David and his wife Natasha, own and operate Buchanan Builders and live in Santa Rosa Beach with their four young children. At a recent meet and greet event in Miramar Beach, David shared his vision to a crowd of voters. He described how much he values spending time with his family in many of Walton county’s natural areas, biking, fishing, and swimming. David said he understands while many of the residents recognize the value tourism brings to the county, sometimes it can create frustration when they want to enjoy the paradise where they live. “I believe having additional access points will help alleviate some of the stress on 30A with traffic and parking. This would be a good opportunity to utilize TDC funds in a way that will relieve congestion and competition for parking near crowded beach access for visitors and locals,” David said.
If you would like to connect with David and support his campaign, please visit
buchananccd4.com.
The primary elections are scheduled for August 23, 2022, and early voting runs August 13- August 20.
Author: South Walton Life Staff
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