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- Georgia Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Gullah Geechee community regarding Sapelo Island development restrictions.
- Referendum sought to block zoning changes that would raise home sizes from 1,400 to 3,000 square feet.
- Community fears larger homes would raise property taxes and displace descendants of formerly enslaved people.
- Griffin Lotson and Josiah “Jazz Watts” urge using publicity as a rallying point to pursue long-term protections.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled in favor of the Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island, Tuesday morning.
This came after a referendum was filed by Gullah Geechee citizens aimed to restrict the development of homes increasing in size on Sapelo Island.
Members of the Gullah Geechee community in Hogg Hummock have opposed the move. They previously told WSAV that it would change the character of the island, where many residents are the descendants of formerly enslaved people.
They also said it will increase their property taxes which would ultimately force families out of homes that they have lived in for generations.
According to a lawsuit against McIntosh County, for 25 years, construction in the Gullah-Geechee community was limited to 1,400 square-foot single-family dwellings. However, a zoning amendment increased the maximum square footage to 3,000 square feet.
The new zoning was put on hold after the judge issued an injunction following the referendum organizers appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court.
Josiah “Jazz Watts” told WSAV he was “pleased” with Tuesday’s ruling and hopes McIntosh County would use the chance to rethink the amendment.
“I hope (the ruling) is taken as a signal to them that this is not how they should govern, but (this) is also an opportunity for them to change direction and change course,” he said. “”I’m glad that we got a decision from the court. I think it speaks volumes that this was unanimous from the highest court in the state of Georgia. It’s definitely saying something, I just hope McIntosh County is listening.”
Darian City Councilman and Vice-Chairman of the Federal Government Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Commission Griffin Lotson told WSAV that the community should capitalize on today’s publicity in order to achieve their long-term goals.
“This has become a world-wide phenomenon,” Lotson said. “The next step for us is to take advantage of (the coverage)…I think this is going to be a rallying point. Now, let’s deal with the nuts and bolts to make this machine keep rolling in the right direction…this is just a band-aid right now.”
Below is an attached PDF of the ruling in full:
Read the full article on the original site
