By Paula Pyzik Scott

Village Administrator Jesse Blackburn provided the attached 2025 Zoning Permits Summary for the village council at the December 22 regular meeting. The total dollar value of cost estimates is $12.9M with $6M in residential permits and $6.9M in commercial permits.

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
Gerken Materials, Inc. is listed as submitting the largest project, an asphalt plant with a cost estimate of $6M. Commercial projects with estimates of at least $10K are:

Bluffton Schools - $50K House demolition
Bluffton Schools  - $19K Fence
Bluffton Schools $400K Artificial turf field
Bluffton University - $272K Demolition
Gerken Materials - $6M Asphalt Plant
Senior Citizens Center - $17.5K Awning
SumiRiko Ohio - $100K Storage Building
Universal-U-Store-It - $108K Fence

NEW HOMES
Blackburn noted that there were 15 new residential units and one home rebuilt after a fire. Ten of the 15 residential permits are part of the Chestnut Lane single-story duplex condominiums development. Three new homes to be constructed are in the Parkview development.

The Village of Bluffton has averaged 6.1 residential units/year from 2010-2020.

2024: 6 units
2023: 9 units
2022: 4 units
2021: 5 units

Based on 2020 Census data, it is estimated that to reach a city population of 5,000, another 246 residential homes would need to be built. 

OTHER RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
Residential projects of $10K and over are:

• 2 accessory buildings
• 5 additions
• 2 driveway/driveway patio
• 3 garage/garage addition
• 2 fence
• 1 patio 
• 1 pool
• 1 remodel
• 1 sidewalk/retaining wall
• 1 solar