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Volusia County, Florida
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Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 496,575 .
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Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county was 496,575 . Although Daytona Beach is Volusia County's best-known city, its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona.
Volusia County is the sole county of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is the 101st-largest metro area by population in the United States as of the 2004 Census estimate. Volusia County is traversed from north to south by the important highways Interstate 95 and US Route 1. It also sits at the northeastern end of the Interstate 4, where it merges with Interstate 95.
History
Volusia County was established in 1854. It was named for the port of Volusia along the St. John's River on the county's western side. The origins of the word "Volusia" are unclear, though there are several theories.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,432 square miles (3,710 km˛), of which, 1,103 square miles (2,857 km˛) of it is land and 329 square miles (853 km˛) of it is water, much of it in the Atlantic Ocean. The total area is 22.98% water.
Volusia County is bordered on the west by the St. Johns River, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Roughly the size of Rhode Island, Volusia is situated 50 miles northeast of Orlando, 60 miles north of the Kennedy Space Center, and 89 miles south of Jacksonville.
Volusia County is the sole county in the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Regions
The Volusia County Government divides the county into three regions. This parallels the three calling regions used by BellSouth, the regional phone company:
East Volusia - also known as the Greater Daytona Beach Area, or the Halifax Area (named for the Halifax River which runs through the area), this region includes the cities of Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, Holly Hill, Ormond Beach, Ponce Inlet, Port Orange, and South Daytona; and the surrounding unincorporated areas close to these cities.
Southeast Volusia - also known as the Greater New Smyrna Beach Area, this region includes the cities of New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, and Oak Hill; also the unincorporated areas close to these cities.
West Volusia - also called Saint John's River Country (named for the Saint John's River which lies nearby), this region includes the cities of Barberville, Debary, DeLand, De Leon Springs, Deltona, Glenwood, Lake Helen, Orange City, Pierson, and Seville; as well as the surrounding unincorporated areas close to these cities.
Adjacent counties
Parks and gardens
Rivers and Waterways
Major attractions
Law and government
Under Volusia County's council-manager form of government, voters elect a county council which consists of seven members who serve four-year terms. Five are elected by district, the county chair and at-large representative are elected county-wide.
The county council establish ordinances and policies for the county. It also reviews and approves the county budget annually. The commission appoints a county manager, who carries out the will of the commission and handles day-to-day business.
Elected officials
- County Chair: Frank Bruno Jr.
- Commissioner-At-Large and Vice-Chair: Joie Alexander
- District 1 Commissioner - Andy Kelly
- District 2 Commissioner - Art Giles
- District 3 Commissioner - Jack Hayman
- District 4 Commissioner - Carl G. Persis
- District 5 Commissioner - Pat Northey
- County Manager (appointed) - James Dinneen
The following are considered state officials but are elected and paid by the county:
- Sheriff - Ben F. Johnson
- Clerk of the Courts - Diane M. Matousek
- Property Appraiser - Morgan B. Gilreath Jr.
- Supervisor of Elections - Ann McFall
- State Attorney - John Tanner
- Public Defender - James S. Purdy
County offices
- Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand 32720
- Daytona Beach Administration Building, 250 N. Beach St., Daytona Beach 32114
- New Smyrna Beach Administration Office, 111 Canal St., New Smyrna Beach 32168
- Orange City Administration Office, 2744 Enterprise Rd., Orange City 32763
Justice
The county has centralized most county courts in DeLand which try a variety of cases including felonies, misdemeanors, traffic, and domestic. An elected prosecutor tries cases for the public. Defendants can be represented through the auspices of the office of the elected public defender.
The County elects a sheriff, immediately responsible to the courts but also to the state for the enforcement of state laws. Police chiefs, appointed by their cities or towns, perform the same function locally.
Many volunteers work alongside the paid professionals. Included are Citizen Observer Program (C.O.P.). C.O.P. volunteers work under the direction of the county sheriff and play a part in the county's policing operations.
The Volusia County Branch Jail is a modern facility, located on Highway US-92 (International Speedway Boulevard), approximately halfway between DeLand and Daytona Beach. The county jail retains prisoners who have been sentenced to a year or less. Longer sentences must be served in state prisons.
Libraries
The county centrally controls 16 libraries. Collections included 869,491 books, 83,943 videos, 58,784 audio materials, 2,051 magazines and newspapers, over 100,000 government documents and 51 licensed databases. Personal computers for public use are hooked up on broadband in all libraries. An estimated 230,000 Volusia County residents have library cards. One library card is valid at all locations, and materials are loaned between locations through a daily courier service and outside the libraries via Inter-Library Loan. Library cards are free for all Volusia County residents.
Economy
The overall Gross Metro Product (GMP) for Volusia County economy increased from $12.98-billion in 2005 to $13.69-billion in 2006; a $709.9-million increase. The GMP is an annual measurement of the total economic output and sales of goods and services provided within the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) that comprises all of Volusia County and its 16 cities. A GMP of $13.69-billion represents a significant circulation of new capital resources in an economy populated by just over 500,000 residents.
Local consumer confidence and a continued immigration of an estimated 28,800 new residents, new capital investments for new construction exceeding $1.11-billion and the steady growth of professional and health care services continued to drive much of the County’s economic viability.
Volusia County’s manufacturing sector maintained a steady and stable position within the local economy contrary to the declining trends being experienced elsewhere within the State of Florida. The overall number of manufacturers present within the county increased to over 430 in 2006 and accounted for a large portion of the county’s GMP. Manufacturing maintains one of the highest of all average wage levels within the county and generates a higher rate of circulation of economic impact than any other business sector that comprises the local economy.
Volusia County’s manufacturing sector generated an average annual wage of $37,632 in 2006, well above the county’s average annual wage of $32,200 for all workers.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 443,343 people, 184,723 households, and 120,069 families residing in the county. The population density was 402 people per square mile (155/km˛). There were 211,938 housing units at an average density of 192 per square mile (74/km˛). The racial makeup of the county was 86.11% White, 9.29% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. 6.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.7% were of German, 11.5% Irish, 11.2% English, 10.7% American and 8.7% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 184,723 households out of which 24.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.40% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.00% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the county the population was spread out with 20.30% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,219, and the median income for a family was $41,767. Males had a median income of $30,573 versus $22,471 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,664. About 7.90% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.
Places
Incorporated
As of August 2007, Volusia County has 16 incorporated cities and towns.
Unincorporated
Transportation
Major roads
Public transportation
VoTran is the name of the local Volusia County bus service. It is a cheap way to get around and is handicap accessible. The buses offer service throughout the county, Monday through Saturday, from 7 AM to 7 pm. Some limited bus routes are offered in East Volusia in the evenings and on Sundays. Buses travel to most sites and places of interest. Cost: $1.25 per trip, or $3 for a one-day bus pass (Valid for all routes).
There is also a VOTRAN transfer station (Intermodal Transit Facility - ITF) located inside the Volusia County Parking Garage in Daytona Beach.
Education
Public primary and secondary education is handled by Volusia County Schools. Some of the larger private schools include Father Lopez Catholic High School.
Middle schools
High schools
Colleges and universities
Vocational
Newspapers
Telecommunications
Television
The channel 2 television station in the area is allocated to Daytona Beach - Orlando, and its transmission tower is located midway between those two. Otherwise, Volusia County is served by the major TV broadcasting stations in Orlando and Orange County, Florida.
Radio stations
AM
- WNDB, 1150 AM, Daytona Beach, News/Talk/Sports
- WSBB, 1230 AM, New Smyrna Beach, Standards
- WYND, 1310 AM, DeLand, Religious
- WROD, 1340 AM, Daytona Beach, Standards
- WELE, 1380 AM, Ormond Beach, News/Talk
- WMFJ, 1450 AM, Daytona Beach, Religious
- WTJV, 1490 AM, DeLand, Spanish Language
- WPUL, 1590 AM, South Daytona, Talk
FM
- WEAZ , 88.3 FM, Holly Hill, Contemporary Christian
- WKTO, 88.9 FM, Edgewater, Religious
- WJLU, 89.7 FM, New Smyrna Beach, Religious
- WAPN , 91.5 FM, Holly Hill, Contemporary Christian
- WKRO-FM , 93.1 FM, Edgewater, Country
- WCFB, 94.5 FM, Daytona Beach, Urban Adult Contemporary
- WLGM, 95.3 FM, Edgewater
- WHOG , 95.7 FM, Ormond-by-the-Sea, Classic Rock
- WJLU, 97.3 FM, Deland, Religious
- WJHM, 101.9 FM, Daytona Beach, Mainstream Urban
- WVYB , 103.3 FM, Holly Hill, Top 40
- WOCL, 105.9 FM, Deland, Oldies
External links
Volusia Government Sites
Other sites
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- Approximately 550 photographs of Volusia County and the surrounding area taken between 1900 and 1915. From the State Library & Archives of Florida
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