Registration now open for Sustainable Communities Workshop

"Early Bird" registration rate of $30 is available until Nov. 3rd

SARASOTA COUNTY - Early bird registration is now open for Sarasota County's 10th annual Sustainable Communities Workshop, to be held Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida Event and Conference Center, 4740 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota.

Expert speakers will provide up-to-date information on community strategies and resources and best practices from other communities as part of this year's theme, "Learning from our Past, Charting our Future." The 2015 workshop will provide information-rich sessions on a variety of approaches to grow a sustainable community.

The morning keynote speaker will be Kaid Benfield, senior counsel for environmental strategies at PlaceMakers LLC, based in Washington, D.C. Benfield is a nationally acclaimed author, planner, longtime leader of the smart growth movement and co-founder of the LEED for Neighborhood Development program.

The afternoon keynote speaker will be Jon Thaxton, the director of community investment at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and former Sarasota County Commissioner. Thaxton is an acknowledged leader in growth management, environmental preservation, water conservation, and transportation planning.

The Sustainable Communities Workshop brings together individuals, businesses, institutions and government agencies and organizations to learn and share community solutions on topics including the natural environment, energy, health and sustainability.

The early bird registration fee of $30 is available until Nov. 3 and includes breakfast and lunch. From Nov. 4 to Dec. 3, registration is $40. The student rate is $20. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are also available.

To register and for more information, visit www.scgov.net/SustainableCommunities or call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000.