McIntosh County moves forward with revised Hog Hammock zoning proposal

DARIEN, Ga. (WTOC) - McIntosh County commissioners voted Friday to send a revised zoning ordinance for the Hog Hammock community on Sapelo Island to the county’s planning and zoning board for a public hearing.

The special called meeting came just days after the McIntosh County Planning and Zoning Commission tabled a previous proposal that would have capped homes at 1,800 square feet under roof — a measure critics said contained loopholes that could allow homes far larger than intended.

Background

Hog Hammock is one of the last intact communities of Gullah Geechee descendants — the descendants of enslaved West Africans — on the Georgia coast. Residents have fought since 2023 to prevent large homes and outside developers from driving up property values and displacing the indigenous population.

The dispute began in September 2023, when the commission approved zoning that allowed homes up to 3,000 square feet.

Residents pushed back, launching a petition drive that forced a referendum. In January 2026, 85% of voters chose to overturn that zoning, but the repeal left no zoning in its place, creating a void that the county has struggled to fill ever since.

To prevent unregulated construction while a new ordinance was developed, the county enacted a zoning moratorium — a temporary freeze on new building permits in Hog Hammock. That moratorium is set to expire Aug. 10. Without a new ordinance in place before that deadline, Hog Hammock would have no zoning protections at all, potentially opening the door to unrestricted development.

McIntosh County has spent more than $500,000 in legal fees related to the zoning dispute.

What changed Friday

The revised ordinance caps homes at 1,550 square feet under roof, down from the 1,800 square foot proposal that was tabled Tuesday. Commissioners also voted to remove a residential mixed-use designation from the table of permitted uses and changed a provision for gymnasiums and spas from a permitted use to a special use permit.

Building and Zoning Administrator Bryan Boone presented two draft options to the commission Friday.

Both were designed to close loopholes in the previous proposal, including restrictions on habitable space above ceiling joists and strict limits on porch enclosures to prevent them from being converted into additional living space.

During the meeting, the county attorney asked Boone whether the 1,550 square foot under-roof measurement would achieve the commission’s goal of limiting conditioned living space.

“So 1,550 gets you close, am I right?” the attorney asked.

“Yes, sir,” Boone responded. “With that being said, our ability to track the files and plan with you during the permitting process has greatly improved since this became a problem. Staff believes both versions of these represent a viable option.”

Commissioner Roger Lotson also pressed Boone on whether homes built under the new limits would fit within the character of the historic community.

“Will this house fit within what’s there?” Lotson asked.

“I believe so,” Boone said. “I believe it matches the guidelines.”

What’s next

The zoning board will hold a public hearing on the revised ordinance Aug. 4, giving the public an opportunity to weigh in. The commission must then take a final vote before the moratorium expires Aug. 10.

Josiah Watts, a Gullah Geechee descendant and Sapelo Island resident who attended Friday’s meeting, said the nearly three-year fight has been exhausting, but the community isn’t giving up.

“We are still here,” Watts said. “And if we are still here, that means there is still opportunity to do the right thing. There’s still opportunity for working together.”