Joe Trauth's practice is concentrated in areas of civil litigation, zoning and planning law and real estate law. He has been extremely successful in major rezoning for local and national clients and in obtaining real estate property tax reductions for major commercial properties in this region. He has also handled major eminent domain cases and construction cases.
From 1967-1969, Joe served in the United States Peace Corps in Western Samoa as Assistant to the Director of Economic Development and from 1971-1973 served as an Assistant to United States Congressman W. J. Keating.
Representative Matters- Represented Procter & Gamble with regard to the valuation of its headquarter buildings located in downtown Cincinnati, and successfully obtained a reduction in the taxable valuation.
- Represented General Electric Aircraft Engines with regard to its facility in Evendale, Ohio, constituting 415 acres and 6,000,000 square feet under roof. Mr. Trauth ultimately obtained a reduction to the County's original valuation saving the corporation thousands of dollars each year since 1992.
- Handled cases for Rumpke Landfill, Inc. involving the rezoning for a major expansion of the Colerain Township, Hamilton County, Ohio Rumpke landfill expanding their landfill area by 65 acres and creating a planned light industrial district of 73 acres.
- Obtained regulatory approval for the Star 64 1,000-foot TV/radio tower in the City of Cincinnati at the top of Winton Hill near North Bend Road.
- Prevailed in six separate court proceedings over an eight-year period representing Duke Realty and the W.O. Brisben Company rezoning the southeast quadrant of I-71 and Pfeiffer Road from single family to office zoning, allowing for a 225,000 square foot office development which is now the headquarters of Ohio National. He obtained a settlement with the City of Montgomery for its unconstitutional zoning of the property.
- Represented Costco, handling their rezoning and land use issues in Deerfield Township, Warren County, Ohio, and the City of Springdale in Hamilton County, Ohio.
- Represented Home Depot in Deerfield Township, Warren County, and in West Chester Township, Butler County, and several of their other locations.
- Represented IKEA in West Chester Township to obtain regulatory land use approvals.
- Represents a major national retailer in land-use, real estate transactions and litigation.
- AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
-Named to Ohio Super Lawyers, 2004-2013
-Named Cincy Leading Lawyer, 2006
-Named the "Cincinnati Best Lawyers' Land Use & Zoning Lawyer of the Year," 2013
Professional and Community Involvement
-Cincinnati Bar Association
-Kentucky Bar Association
-Ohio Attorneys for Justice
-Ohio State Bar Association
-American Arbitration Association, Panel of Arbitrators
-Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor Foundation, Trustee; Founding Trustee and former Chairman, 1987-1989
-Citizens for Community Values, Board of Directors
-River City Correctional Center Facilities, Governing Board
-The Thomas Geiger House, Board of Directors
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