September 21, 2023
Liz Butler to deliver Ekdahl Lecture on real estate, zoning and land use
Liz Butler, partner at Taft Law specializing in real estate, zoning, land use and urban planning, will be the distinguished speaker at the upcoming College of Architecture, Planning & Design, or APDesign, Ekdahl Lecture Series scheduled for Sept. 25. The event will take place at 4:30 p.m. in Regnier Forum, 1117 Regnier Hall, and promises to offer valuable insights into the intricate world of real estate development and urban planning. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Butler's expertise lies in the multifaceted realm of land use, zoning, entitlements, public incentives, historic preservation, economic development and general real estate transactions. Her clientele spans a diverse spectrum, including institutional, residential, commercial and industrial property owners and developers. Butler plays a pivotal role in acquisitions, dispositions, zoning entitlements and economic development incentives. She is renowned for her adeptness in navigating the complex landscape of municipal interactions and fostering consensus among property owners, government officials and community stakeholders.
With an extensive network of relationships with municipal authorities and a profound understanding of local land use and zoning codes, Butler consistently delivers results for her clients embarking on intricate entitlement processes. Her impressive track record includes securing approvals for planned developments, zoning amendments, special uses, variations, subdivisions, right-of-way vacations, dedications, site plan approvals and various municipal licenses. Moreover, Butler has a knack for negotiating and executing economic development and historic preservation incentives, conducting comprehensive property evaluations, zoning due diligence and facilitating numerous real estate acquisitions and dispositions.
Before her legal career, Butler served as a municipal city planner in the Dallas metropolitan area. In this capacity, she was responsible for streamlining the city's development review process and bridging the gap between the private development community and the city's public boards and commissions. Armed with her educational and professional background in urban planning, Butler brings a thoughtful, strategic and holistic perspective to even the most challenging development issues.
Butler's dedication to her field is further underscored by her membership in prestigious organizations such as the American Planning Association and her certification as a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. She is also an active participant in the Urban Land Institute.
The Oscar S. Ekdahl Distinguished Lecture Series in Architecture and Design brings the finest professionals in the design and planning disciplines to APDesign and the K-State community. These individuals are selected to avail faculty, staff, students and regional professionals of the potency of design and planning in addressing the issues we face as a global society. The series honors Ekdahl, who received his Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University in 1933 and was a founding partner in Ekdahl, Davis, Depew, Persson Architects PA in Topeka.