R. Todd Hunt

Partner
Practice Head, Municipal Law

Professional Experience

An experienced trial and appellate lawyer, Todd concentrates his practice in general public law, telecommunications, land use and development issues, litigation and public sector employment and labor law. He has negotiated numerous cable television franchise agreements and video service agreements for local governments and condominium associations, disputes with cable and telecom providers over franchise/contract compliance, franchise/video service fee disputes, and public, education and government ("PEG") access issues; advised local governments and access providers regarding compliance with the recent Ohio statewide video service provider statutes and PEG access policies and procedures; negotiated and drafted wireless telecom facility and tower leases for public and private property owners; drafted wireless telecom facility and tower siting and zoning ordinances and regulations; and drafted comprehensive public rightof-way ordinances. Todd has managed and tried a wide range of civil and administrative cases and counsels public officials, business owners and developers on related matters. He has also successfully defended a wide variety of cases involving: zoning and land use, tort and civil rights, construction and supply contracts, and public employment and labor issues.

Todd is the Director of Law for the City of Richmond Heights and the City Solicitor for the City of Hudson. He has also served as Assistant Law Director for the cities of Cleveland and Cleveland Heights.

Todd has negotiated numerous cable television franchise agreements and video service agreements for local governments and condominium associations, disputes with cable and telecom providers over franchise/contract compliance, franchise/video service fee disputes, and public, education and government ("PEG") access issues; advised local governments and access providers regarding compliance with the recent Ohio statewide video service provider statuates and PEG access policies and procedures; negotiated and drafted wireless telecom facility and tower leases for public and private property owners; drafted wireless telecom facility and tower sites and zoning ordinances and regulations; and drafted comprehensive public rightof-way ordinances.

Recent Presentations

"BZA: Powers and Duties," "Internet Sweepstakes Cafes," NE Ohio Planning & Zoning Workshop, The Conference Center at Geneva State Park, Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio, June 24, 2011

"Final Ohio Senate Bill 5: Public Management Perspectives on Collective Bargaining and Employment Issues," Holiday Inn Cleveland South, April 8, 2011.

"Internet/Sweepstakes Cafes: Zoning and Gambling Regulations applicable to internet sweepstakes Cafes," seminar presented by the American Planning Association, Ohio Chapter - Akron Section, Richfield, Ohio, December 15, 2010

"2010 Walter & Haverfield LLP Labor and Employment Law Seminar," "Public Sector Labor & Employment Overview and Legal Update," Outline, Presentation, Holiday Inn in Independence, September 30, 2010

"BZA: Powers and Duties-Variance Authority and Those Other Pesky Applications," "NE Ohio Planning & Zoning Workshop," Ohio Planning Conference, June 25, 2010

"A Challenge to the Existence of Ohio's Mayor's Courts," 2010 Mayor's Court Clerks of Ohio Professional Development Program, Kent State University, April 29, 2010

"Legal Implications of Zoning Decisions for Smart Planning and Development," Planning Law Seminar, Cleveland State University, March 26, 2010

"Municipal Employment Law Overview," Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association's 2010 Spring Municipal Civil Seminar, March 5, 2010

"Administrative Law (Municipal)," Kent State University Elected Officials Academy - Personal Leadership, February 17, 2010
"Municipal Employment Law Update," 2010 Annual Presidents Day Municipal Law Seminar, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, February 11, 2010
"Municipal Employment Law Overview," 2009 Winter Municipal Civil Law Seminar, Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, December 4, 2009
"Legislative, Regulatory and Current Case Law Developments/Key Issues in Government Law," National Business Institute: State and Local Government Law, December 1, 2009
"General Municipal Law," Kent State University 27th Annual Ohio and West Virginia Municipal Clerks Career Development Program, October 5, 2009
"Eminent Domain Seminar," Ohio State Bar Association, May 27, 2009
"Land Use & Zoning Law Update," 2009 Municipal Civil Law Seminars, Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, March 13, 2009, May 1, 2009, & July 31, 2009
"2008 Planning & Zoning Workshop", Ohio Planning Conference, November 14, 2008
- Zoning Variances in Ohio

Conditional Uses

2008 Municipal Civil Law Seminar”, Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, May 9, 2008
“Land Use and Zoning Seminar”, Ohio State Bar Association, April 16, 2008
“Development of Business and Industrial Parks in Ohio”, Lorman Education Services, December 5, 2007
“2007 Planning & Zoning Workshop”, Ohio Planning Conference, November 9, 2007
“2007 Municipal Law Institute Civil Session”, Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association, July 26, 2007
“Zoning, Sub-division and Land Development Law Seminar”, Lorman Education Services, July 20, 2007
“Current Issues in Storm Water Regulation”, Lorman Education Services, March 28, 2007
“Zoning, Subdivision and Land Development Law in Ohio Constitutional Issues: Inverse Condemnation and Takings”, sponsored by Lorman Education Services, April 19, 2006
“Home Rule Under Attack: Current Topics”, sponsored by the Cleveland Bar Association, Government Attorney Section, March 15, 2006
“Local Government Regulations of Sexually Oriented Businesses,” Lorman Education Services, January 27, 2004
“Local Government Regulations of Signs,” Lorman Education Services, January 27, 2004

Professional & Community Associations

American Bar Association
Ohio State Bar Association
Ohio Chapter of National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors
Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association
Cuyahoga County Law Directors Association
Medina County Bar Association
National Association of Industrial & Office Properties (NAIOP)

Education

Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., 1984
Case Western Reserve University, MSSA, 1984
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1976

Licensed to Practice

Ohio
U.S. Supreme Court
Federal district and appellate courts

Awards & Recognitions

AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Articles by R. Todd Hunt

January 2007 – New Public Records Law

October 2006 – Nonconforming Uses in Ohio

September 2005 – HOT TOPICS: Federal Mandates and Local Zoning: Federal Constitutional Issues: Takings and Eminent Domain

April 2003 – When Governments Temporarily Take Private Property as published in the April 2003 issue of Builders Magazine

April 2003 – The Electronic Government Services Act (H.B. No. 95)

March/April 2002 – Ohio Municipal Service

September 1998 – The Disentanglement of Wireless Telecommunications and Local Zoning Two Years into the Federal Telecom Act

April 1997 – Sticks in the Air, Stakes in the Sand: Be Proactive When it Comes to Wireless Telecommunications Towers

Land Use Litigation