Grounded in California Water Law
Earned his law degree with a specialization thesis on California water rights and the public trust doctrine.
Meet Dan Fitzpatrick
Appointed to represent Division 2 in May 2026. A land use attorney and small business owner from Martinez.
The Short Version
The Expertise This District Needs Right Now
Dan brings the exact legal, financial, and regulatory expertise required to oversee large public capital investments and keep them on schedule and on budget.
Raised in California’s Central Valley, Dan learned early that clean, reliable water is never something to take for granted.
He was appointed by the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors in May 2026 to represent Division 2 — Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Port Costa, and Concord — filling the seat held for 22 years by Director John Burgh.
Today, Dan lives in Martinez with his wife, Ashlee — an Alhambra High graduate whose family has lived in Contra Costa County for three generations — and their daughter, Sloane. Murphy, their red Labrador, is a regular on the Contra Costa Canal Trail.
Qualifications
What Dan Brings to the Board
15 Years in Land Use & Infrastructure
Extensive hands-on experience in land acquisition, environmental review, permitting, and financing complex development projects.
Public Sector Accountability
Legal experience managing state-level infrastructure matters with the California Attorney General’s Office, and municipal land-use issues with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.
Small Business Owner Perspective
As the owner and operator of a local boutique winery, Dan understands firsthand that rising utility costs hit small businesses and families alike.
The Path to the Board
How Dan Got Here
Central Valley to Contra Costa, by way of land use, permitting, and public infrastructure.
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Growing Up in California’s Central Valley
Raised in California’s Central Valley, Dan learned early that clean, reliable water is never something to take for granted.
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A Law Degree, With a Thesis on California Water Rights
Earned his law degree with a specialization thesis on California water rights and the public trust doctrine.
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California Attorney General’s Office
Managed state-level infrastructure matters, building the public-sector accountability that large capital oversight demands.
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San Francisco City Attorney’s Office
Handled municipal land-use issues — the permitting, environmental review, and entitlement work that governs how public projects actually get built.
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Fifteen Years in Land Use and Infrastructure
Extensive hands-on experience in land acquisition, environmental review, permitting, and financing complex development projects — alongside owning and operating a local boutique winery.
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Appointed to Represent Division 2
Appointed by the Board of Directors to the Contra Costa Water District seat covering Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Port Costa, and Concord.
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