All Bluffton Icon News

By Brittany Berens, DO
Obstetrics & Gynecology, OB Hospitalist Program at Blanchard Valley Hospital

Preparing for childbirth can feel like an enormous task. A written birth plan can help the birthing person organize their thoughts. If you or your loved one is considering writing a birth plan for an upcoming delivery, what should you know?  

A birth plan is the birthing person’s written set of preferences and wishes. This is not a requirement prior to delivery. However, writing a birth plan can help the birthing person collect their thoughts and communicate with their partner, family, and birthing team. A birth plan typically involves preferences regarding labor, delivery and postpartum care while in the hospital setting. There are many online tools to help draft a birth plan. Patients should pick one from a reputable source that best fits their preferences. Prior to arrival at the hospital, it is important to take the time to compare and consider various options regarding care.  

By Paula Pyzik Scott with Mackay Tuttle

Can you remember a time when Bluffton homes didn’t go like hotcakes? While the populations of both Allen and Hancock Counties have seen a gradual decline over the past 10-20 years, the Village of Bluffton expects to grow according to the 2024 Bluffton strategic plan, Bluffton Beyond Tomorrow.

The Village of Bluffton council is proposing a strategy that would help address the community’s housing shortage by setting guidelines for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) construction in Residential I and Residential II zoning districts. ADUs are secondary attached or unattached housing on an existing residential lot.

There is not currently a digitized zoning map to show locations of R-I and R-II areas in the Village. A large printed map is available for viewing at Town Hall.