McIntosh County special election: Gullah Geechee community fights to preserve historic land

SAPELO ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) - Tuesday, McIntosh County voters will cast ballots in a special election that could reshape the future of Hog Hammock on Sapelo Island—a decision that hinges on preserving cultural heritage against mounting development pressures.

The Heart of the Matter: A Zoning Decision with Deep Roots

At the center of the conflict is a 2023 zoning change that would allow homes in the Hog Hammock area to double in size. For members of the Gullah Geechee community, whose ancestors were enslaved and worked on island plantations generations ago, this decision represents a threat to more than just building codes—it threatens their very survival as a cultural group.

“We, the community members, would like for the county to support the residents who live out there and who have lived out there for generations to be able to stay on the island for as long as they want,” said Megan DeRosiers, a McIntosh County voter who is not part of the Gullah Geechee community but is an advocate for preservation.

A Community Under Pressure

Hog Hammock is one of just a few surviving Gullah Geechee communities in the United States—a distinction that carries immense cultural and historical significance. Yet the community has been shrinking in recent decades.

As property values have risen and outsiders have purchased land to build vacation homes, some Gullah families have been forced to sell their ancestral properties, eroding the culture that has defined the island for centuries.

The 2023 zoning change threatens to accelerate this process.

By allowing homes to double in size, many residents believe the decision will inevitably drive up property taxes and values, pricing out longtime residents who can no longer afford to live on land their families have occupied for generations.

The Fear: Displacement Through Development

Local landowners are particularly concerned that wealthy outsiders building large homes under the new zoning ordinance will transform the island’s character and economics.

Rising property values, even if they represent growth on paper, translate into higher property taxes that many residents cannot afford to pay.

“People who live in McIntosh County and who live along the coast need to do as much as we can to preserve our history and to preserve the culture that’s here,” DeRosiers said, echoing the sentiment shared by many in the community.

County officials have offered a counterpoint, arguing that rising property values are inevitable given recent land sales and market forces beyond the county’s control.

The dispute escalated when the Gullah Geechee community challenged the zoning decision in court. Late last year, Georgia’s Supreme Court intervened, ordering today’s special election.

This electoral process represents a rare opportunity for voters to directly overturn a previous administrative decision.

Looking Forward: An Extended Conflict

Regardless of Tuesday night’s outcome, many on both sides acknowledge that this conflict will likely continue for years to come.

The vote today represents a critical moment, but deep questions remain about how to balance development with cultural preservation, economic growth with community stability, and individual property rights with collective heritage.

As voters head to the polls, the future of one of Georgia’s last Gullah Geechee communities hangs in the balance—a reminder that some decisions carry weight far beyond zoning maps and property lines.

Polls close at 7 p.m. We will bring you election results on this, as we get them.