Upcoming Webinars

Saving Special Places • Building Better Communities

Educating Floridians

Join 1000 Friends of Florida for FREE monthly webinars on planning, development and growth issues facing Florida.

1000 Friends routinely seeks professional certification credits for planners (AICP CM), Florida attorneys (CLE), DBPR Landscape Architects, Certified Floodplain Managers and Florida Environmental Health Professionals who attend the live webinars, but cannot guarantee that credits will be offered.

Certification Maintenance Logo AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for many of 1000 Friends’ Dr. John M. DeGrove Webinars. When CM credits are available, they are noted at the end of an activity description. More information about AICP’s CM program can be found at www.planning.org/cm.

2024 – 2025 Dr. John M. DeGrove Webinars

Florida’s Bert Harris Act: Property Rights Unbalanced?

November 13, 2024 from 12:00 – 1:30 P.M. EST

Join 1000 Friends of Florida for a deep dive into the Bert Harris Act, one of the most significant pieces of property rights legislation in Florida. Enacted in 1995, the Bert Harris Act allows private property owners to seek compensation when government regulations unfairly limit the use or value of their property. This webinar will explore the history and purpose of the Act, common misconceptions, and how it is applied in land use and development decisions today. Our panel of legal and planning experts—Richard Grosso, Esq., Thomas Hawkins, J.D., AICP, and Alicia Gonzalez—will provide real-world case studies and explain how the Act is meant to protect property owners without giving developers undue power over local governments. Attendees will also gain insight into how the Bert Harris Act balances private property rights with the public good, and how local governments can navigate its requirements while preserving their authority over land use decisions. This webinar is ideal for anyone interested in understanding property rights, land use planning, and the legal challenges that arise when government regulations affect private property.

This event has been approved for the following professionals who attend the live event: planners (1.5 AICP General,1 Law CM #929781) and Florida attorneys (1.5 General CLE, # # 2410199N). 1000 Friends is applying for professional certification credits for Florida Landscape Architects (DBPR credits), and Certified Floodplain Managers (CEC), but cannot guarantee they will be approved.

Live Local vs. Local Planning

December 11, 2024 from 12:00 – 1:30 P.M. EST

The Florida Legislature addressed the affordable housing crisis in 2023 with the Live Local Act, followed by a “glitch bill” in 2024. Learn more about the bills’ impacts on local governments and what more might be done to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing.

Professional certification credit applications for this webinar are currently in progress. Please check back to confirm which credits will be offered.

Planning to Protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor 2.0
What’s sprawl got to do with it?

January 22, 2025 from 12:00 – 2:00 P.M. EST

Good urban policy is essential for good rural policy. If Florida’s urban footprint is more compact, more land is left for nature and agriculture. What planning strategies can assist with limiting sprawl? Dr. Jay H. Exum, Exum Associates, will discuss how sprawl and fragmentation threaten Florida’s lands and waters. Mari K. Daniels, AICP, CPM, Assistant County Manager will cover Alachua County’s Urban Cluster designation in its Future Land Use Map. Commissioner Sean Parks will address efforts in Lake County to integrate land conservation into community planning efforts.  This is the first of four webinars on Planning to Protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor by the University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning and 1000 Friends of Florida.

This event has been approved for the following professional certification credits for those attending the live webinar:  American Institute of Certified Planners (2.0 AICP CM #9297094), Florida Bar (2.5 General Intermediate, 2409711N), Certified Floodplain Managers (1 CEC),  Florida Environmental Health Professionals (DOH 2.0 Contact Hours or 0.20 CEUS), and Florida Landscape Architects (2.0 DBPR Credits #0014569) 

Planning to Protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor 2.0
The urban/rural interface

February 2025

This is the second of four webinars on Planning to Protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor by the University of Florida Center for Landscape Conservation Planning and 1000 Friends of Florida.  Stay tuned for more information and registration link coming soon!

2025 Florida Legislative Preview

February 19, 2025 from 12:00 – 1:30 P.M. EST

A look ahead to the 2025 session of the Florida Legislature, focusing on key pending bills and budget recommendations related to community planning, conservation, transportation and water quality.

Professional certification credit applications for this webinar are currently in progress. Please check back to confirm which credits will be offered.

2025 Florida Legislative Update

April 2, 2025 from 12:00 – 1:30 P.M. EST

A progress report midway through the 2025 legislative session on key bills and budget recommendations related to community planning, conservation, transportation and water quality.

Professional certification credit applications for this webinar are currently in progress. Please check back to confirm which credits will be offered.

2025 Florida Legislative Wrap Up

May 14, 2025 from 12:00 – 1:30 P.M. EST

A summary following the conclusion of the legislative session on the passage and failure of key bills and budget recommendations related to community planning, conservation, transportation and water quality.

Professional certification credit applications for this webinar are currently in progress. Please check back to confirm which credits will be offered.

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