Georgia Conservancy comments regarding proposed zoning changes to Hogg Hummock, Sapelo Island

To the McIntosh County Board of Commissioners:

On behalf of the Georgia Conservancy, we are writing to you to request that you postpone the vote on the HH Zoning District, as proposed at your Work Session on Monday, September 11, 2023, in order to allow time for more meaningful community engagement from the residents of Hogg Hummock regarding the future of their community. The Georgia Conservancy’s mission is to protect Georgia through ecological and economic solutions for stewardship, conservation and sustainable use of the land and its resources. We strive to honor the connection between the environment, the economy and equity in our advocacy. Since our founding in 1967, Georgia Conservancy and its supporters have ensured the protection and conservation of some of our state’s most precious natural places. Sapelo Island, and more specifically Hogg Hummock, is one such place due to its unique and significant status in American history as the last intact Geechee/Gullah Community on the Sea Islands of Georgia that is comprised of direct descendants of enslaved families and individuals that were brought to Sapelo beginning in 1802.

While we certainly understand that McIntosh County faces a unique challenge with regard to code enforcement and infrastructure maintenance on Sapelo Island, particularly due to the significant amount of publicly-owned, tax-exempt property located throughout the County, it is unclear how this zoning change will meaningfully address these issues. The currently proposed maximum dwelling size of 3,000 square feet is more than double the maximum allowed dwelling size in the existing Zoning Ordinance and almost three times the average size of a single-family home in Hogg Hummock, making this recommendation clearly inconsistent with the fabric of the community. Not to mention the fact that this specific amendment has been loudly opposed by the Hogg Hummock community.  Furthermore, any increase in tax revenue from Hogg Hummock that may result from this zoning change will potentially be offset by the increasing demand for local services that inevitably comes with increased development, rendering this effort moot. It is also unlikely that this zoning change would improve the County’s ability to enforce land use codes on the island, which will always be a challenge due to the remoteness of Hogg Hummock. However, one impact will most assuredly result from this zoning change, and that is a rise in property value and the associated tax burden for the existing residents of Hogg Hummock, making their property increasingly unaffordable and eventually erasing the last intact Sea Island Gullah Geechee community.

Since the introduction of the proposed ordinance, there have been several amendments, the last of which occurred only last night on September 11th, leaving confusion as to what the Board of Commissioners is even considering for adoption at the meeting tonight, September 12th. Making amendments “on the fly” at both the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on September 7th and the Board of Commissioners Workshop on September 11th, the night before the vote, is unorthodox to say the least. There seems to be a question as to whether this process even conforms with the County’s own zoning regulations, and it is certainly contrary to best planning practices. Based on the clear public opposition to this proposed zoning amendment, it seems likely that if it is approved, there will inevitably be a lawsuit filed, preventing its implementation. If this is to be the ultimate outcome, there seems to be little value in moving forward with this vote at tonight’s meeting.

Georgia Conservancy does agree that McIntosh County’s residents deserve a better solution to the tax digest and associated service provision challenges that have resulted from the vast amount of publicly owned land in the County; however, that solution cannot be placed solely on the shoulders of the Hogg Hummock community or any one community within the County. By slowing down this process and being considerate of the Hogg Hummock residents’ desires for the future of their community, the County will be protecting one of the most unique assets within Coastal Georgia that will ultimately lead to a more vibrant future than yet another enclave of coastal vacation homes.

Based on the arguments provided above, Georgia Conservancy requests that the County postpone this vote on the amended HH Zoning District, and in the event that a postponement is not feasible, we urge you to vote “No” on this proposed Zoning Amendment. We appreciate the opportunity to provide comments, and we thank you for your consideration of our remarks herein.

Respectfully,
Georgia Conservancy

Katherine Moore, President
Courtney Reich, Coastal Director

If you share our concerns please respectfully reach out to McIntosh County Board of Commissioners:

William E. Harrell - william.harrell@mcintoshcounty-ga.gov
Roger Lotson - District3.Lotson@gmail.com
Kate Pontello Karwacki - katep@darientel.net
David Stevens - david.stevens@dtctel.com
Davis Poole - davis.poole@mcintoshcounty-ga.gov