A Gullah Geechee community on Georgia's Sapelo Island successfully defeated a zoning amendment in a historic referendum, preventing developers from building larger homes that threatened their culture, land, and the island's unique ecosystem.
The article details the struggle of the Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island, Georgia, particularly in Hogg Hummock, to preserve their ancestral land and culture against encroaching development. Led by residents like 70-year-old Ire Gene Grovner, descendants of enslaved West Africans have maintained their unique way of life on the island for generations. A recent, historic referendum in McIntosh County saw nearly 85% of voters reject a proposed zoning amendment that would have increased residential square footage from 1,400 to 3,000 sq ft. This victory prevents outsiders from building large vacation homes, which would raise property taxes, displace the dwindling Gullah Geechee population (currently 30-40 residents), and damage the island's unique ecological importance. The referendum, only the second citizen referendum on a county plan in Georgia's history and rare in the South, required a state supreme court decision to proceed after legal challenges. Despite the win, the future remains uncertain as the county attorney suggests the result means "no zoning" rather than a return to the 1,400 sq ft limit, potentially leading to further legal battles. The community also faces an ongoing lawsuit regarding land claims in Raccoon Bluff. The article highlights the deep connection of the Gullah Geechee people to their land, their self-sufficiency, and their determination to pass their heritage to future generations.
