Featured Planner: Larry Weil

This article was first published in the NDPA Newsletter

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in Hazen, North Dakota where I graduated from high school. I attended ND State School of Science obtaining an associate degree before transferring to NDSU where I received a BA Degree in Sociology with emphasis in community development and social work. I also received a Master’s Degree in Community and Regional Planning from NDSU.

Why did you decide to become a planner?
After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I joined the Peace Corps and went to Brazil where I worked for schools for abandoned children for two years. My primary function was in the area of horticulture and animal husbandry to educate staff and students in these areas and increase food production and nutrition for the schools where the main food was rice and beans. A secondary function became counseling and being an advocate for the children. Following my first 2 - year commitment, I extended for another 1 - year commitment. My assignment was to the state planning agency for the state of Minas Gerais. My function was to be a demographer performing demographic studies for a region of the state as part of a planned investment strategy for physical and social infrastructure improvements; also to train a counterpart to do the same who would continue when my commitment was complete. This was an introduction to planning, albeit somewhat different to planning in the United States, and influenced my decision to pursue planning as a profession.

What aspects of planning do you enjoy the most?
A few aspects of planning that I enjoy include comprehensive planning, community development and training lay planners. Comprehensive planning provides the opportunity for citizens to create a vision for their community and guide how to accomplish it. It can bring the elected officials and citizens together within a process where all can be engaged and contribute to a mutually beneficial outcome. Assisting homeowners on a fixed income to make improvements that would otherwise not be possible, or helping them financially by minimizing or eliminating infrastructure assessments is a rewarding experience. Most of the planning in small North Dakota communities is by lay planners, so training them to be more knowledgeable and effective in their role is beneficial to them, their communities and the state.

Describe a recent project you’ve contributed to that you are proud of. Why is it important?
Highlight methods that made the project a success. The cost of providing infrastructure has been a barrier to growth in commercial and industrial development for West Fargo for a long time. It has been a goal for several decades to diversify and strengthen our commercial tax base. Planning was instrumental in creating a partnership between the City and development community to develop the first two industrial parks utilizing Tax Increment Financing and sales tax as financial tools.

As a result of city involvement, primary business sector interest was sparked, as their costs were reduced significantly. The City’s tax base was strengthened, as substantial investment in property improvements were made which provides for appreciable mid-to-long term gains in property taxes for the community. TIF has been utilized for two additional industrial parks and for several specific projects to accomplish the City’s goals in economic development.

What is the status of long-term planning projects in your community?
The City completed an exciting comprehensive planning process about a year ago which cast a very different vision for the community. With significant citizen and community leadership engagement, the community as a whole has embraced change for a better community to live, work and play.

What projects are you focused on now?
My primary focus currently is in the area of community development. We are working to redevelop some affordable housing and develop new affordable housing opportunities. We are also developing a strategy to replace a substantial amount of old and failing sewer, water, street, and storm sewer infrastructure in established neighborhoods where older, more affordable single-family homes exist. Our goal is to minimize the financial burden on elderly and low-to-moderate income family households. Additionally, the City is partnering with a local bank to offer lower interest remodeling loans to promote the revitalization of residential neighborhoods.

Do you have any advice you would like to give to other planners in the state?
I have always seen value in contributing to the profession and being active in the community. Through our involvement and assistance to others, we are giving back and we contribute to making organizations and our community better. As planners we are agents, or facilitators of change. Some may be more fortunate than others when we can experience significant positive change in our communities, because of the nature of faster growing communities. However, it is the relationships we build and the impacts that are created, as a result of those relationships, that leave a legacy