Eastern Lake Municipal Parking Facility Opens  

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. - Aug. 10, 2023 – The Eastern Lake Municipal Parking Facility is now open to the public. The Walton County Board of County Commissioners and the Walton County Beach Operations and Tourism departments hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Eastern Lake Municipal Parking facility on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 400 Eastern Lake Road. 

According to Beach Operations Director Brian Kellenberger, the new parking facility will add some needed parking spaces for the nearby beach access and also provide a safe place. “The reason we have a high ratio of golf cart and bike parking is because the entrance to the beach access gets cluttered up and creates safety and driving issues with the corner right there,” said Kellenberger.   

Eastern Lake Beach Access is located on a tight turn along Eastern Lake Road. Bicycle and golf cart parking at the entrance to the beach access has created a safety issue for drivers navigating the turn. The new parking facility will give cyclists and golf cart drivers additional parking in a safer location.

This new beach access parking facility features 16 standard vehicle spaces, 18 low-speed vehicle spaces and a bike plaza. Developed to provide parking for the Eastern Lake public beach access, it is steps away from where the Eastern Lake coastal dune lake outfall meets the beach. Residents and visitors come to this location to enjoy its unique beauty, which until now was mainly accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists.  

Walton County District Two Commissioner Danny Glidewell noted that the purpose of this parking facility is not to increase tourism, but to better manage the tourism that is already present. “Looking at this project, I think it’s going to serve its purpose,” Glidewell said.  

The Eastern Lake Municipal Parking facility was funded using tourist development tax, a 5 percent tax collected on short-term rentals in south Walton County. There are four additional parking facility projects underway in south Walton County:  Grayton Beach Municipal Parking, located in the heart of Grayton Beach; County Highway 393 Municipal Parking, within walking distance to Ed Walline Regional Beach Access; Driftwood Road Municipal Parking, steps away from Miramar Beach; and Miramar Beach Municipal Parking, located off Hwy. 98 in Miramar Beach. 

More information about Walton County beach and bay accesses is available at visitsouthwalton.com.

Photos: https://platform.crowdriff.com/m/s-iuADygJQ7nOxkVf-2121. 

###