Photo by Georgia Encyclopedia. Written by Alexander Ashcraft
Imagine a place where history lives in every grain of sand. The Gullah-Geechee people—descendants of Africans enslaved and forced to labor on coastal islands from North Carolina to Florida—have preserved their unique culture for generations. In Georgia, Sapelo Island is home to Hogg Hummock, one of the nation’s few remaining Gullah-Geechee communities. For nearly 300 years, residents have maintained a deep, ancestral connection to the land they call home.
Sapelo Island is appropriately zoned to contain only smaller houses no more than around 1,500 square feet. These are the modest homes of the Gullah-Geechee. Alongside these homes are a general store, bar, public library, small businesses, and two active churches. These are now being threatened, however, by McIntosh County, in which Sapelo Island resides.
McIntosh County, which is 65.5% White according to a 2024 census, has a history of neglecting the island. For example, the county refused to maintain roadways and other major infrastructure despite instituting major tax hikes in 2012, only doing so after a resolution forced the county’s hand.
Now, Hogg Hummock faces more danger: new zoning laws that will double the 1,500 square feet limit to 3,000 square feet. In doing so, McIntosh County hopes to allow the construction of large vacation homes which, with the existing infrastructure, would be difficult to maintain. This would also push out the native Gullah-Geechee people from their ancestral homes as Sapelo is transmuted into yet another vacation resort, rather than an island where the Gullah-Geechee have lived for centuries due to the associated tax increases with adjacent vacation homes.
Although an injunction froze the zoning permits in 2024, the Georgia Supreme Court will be holding an oral argument regarding the validity of a referendum for which Sapelo residents petitioned. This referendum aimed to allow a vote to repeal the zoning, but the McIntosh County Board shut down the vote, questioning the validity of the election.
As of now, the Georgia Supreme Court has not issued a decision regarding the Sapelo Island zoning dispute. The court heard oral arguments on April 16, 2025, focusing on whether residents of Hogg Hummock—a historic Gullah-Geechee community—have the constitutional right to challenge McIntosh County’s 2023 zoning changes through a referendum.These changes would allow larger homes, raising concerns about potential displacement due to increased property taxes and development pressures. FOX 5 Atlanta
A lower court previously canceled the referendum, ruling that zoning ordinances are not subject to citizen referendums under Georgia’s constitution. The Supreme Court’s decision will determine if the referendum can proceed and if the county’s zoning changes can be contested by voters. Until the court rules, an injunction remains in place, preventing the issuance of building permits under the new zoning regulations. AJC News
The court’s ruling is expected in the coming months and will have significant implications for the preservation of Hogg Hummock and similar communities across Georgia.No matter the decision, it appears that attorneys, on behalf of Sapelo’s Gullah-Geechee residents, are prepared to launch civil rights lawsuits if need be.
Hopefully, this will not be necessary, but the precedent already set does not seem promising.
