Bill Fritz, Chief of Special Projects
Where were you born (and raised, if different)?
I was born in Dade County, Florida and lived in South Florida, Key West, Pennsylvania, and Richmond.
When and why did you move to the Charlottesville/Albemarle area?
I moved to the area in 1988 when I took a job with Albemarle County as a Planner.
What neighborhood do you live in now?
Belmont.
Family (spouse, kids, etc.)?
Wife, one child, one dog, a few fish and several hundred thousand honey bees.
What is your alma mater and when did you graduate?
I graduated from Mary Washington College in 1987 with a degree in Geography.
What were you doing before you came to work for the County?
I worked for a mapping firm in Richmond.
Your job title is Chief of Special Projects – what, in your own words, would you say you do?
My work changes as the needs of the County change. I can work on anything from specific development projects to changes in the County Code. Currently, I am working on changes to the review process for site plans, and potential changes in the critical slope and cell phone regulations.
What is the best part of your job? The most difficult part?
The best part of my job is learning new things. With every text amendment I have to learn about the technical component of the amendment. This is especially true with cell phone regulations. I have to understand all the potential ramifications of the change and insure that everyone has an opportunity to provide input into any new regulations.
The most difficult part of my job is insuring that all possible viewpoints are considered and then reconciling those differing viewpoints into a single recommendation.
How does your job most directly impact the average person?
The work I do may result in the adoption of regulations that will affect the community. Sometimes, it is adoption of new regulations while at other times it is the amendment or elimination of regulations. These changes can affect what types of development may occur on a particular piece of land and what the impact of development is on neighbors and the County as a whole.
What is the most interesting project or work experience that you’ve had while with the County?
I worked on the very first cell phone application submitted in the County and have been working on cell phone policies ever since. It has been a constant balancing act between insuring that the service providers can build their network and protecting the scenic quality of the County and the views of immediate property owners. Some sites have worked wonderfully with minimal impacts and some sites have had more impact than anticipated. Albemarle was among the first in the country to adopt a comprehensive cell phone policy and I am proud to say I worked on it.
What is a little-known fact about you?
Everyone knows everything about me even if they don’t want to.
What do you do outside of work hours – hobbies, etc.?
Fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, gardening, bee keeping, wine and beer making.
