Sapelo Island, Georgia - Voters in Georgia on Tuesday rejected an ordinance to build larger homes on Sapelo Island in a win for the Gullah-Geechee community.

Unofficial results showed around 85% of voters who participated in Tuesday's referendum were in favor of repealing a zoning ordinance that could have significant impacts for Sapelo Island's Black residents, the Associated Press reported.

In 2023, McIntosh County commissioners voted 3-2 to remove zoning restrictions in Hogg Hummock (aka Hog Hammock), despite overwhelming opposition from Gullah-Geechee residents.

The Gullah-Geechee are descendants of formerly enslaved people who cultivated their own creole language and customs with direct ties to Central and West African cultures.

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The 427-acre Hogg Hummock community has been listed as a national historic site since 1996, prohibiting the construction of homes greater than 1,400 square feet and protecting existing structures.

The county commissioners' decision paved the way for developers to construct much larger homes on the island, up to 3,000 square feet. Residents say the decision leaves Hogg Hummock's Gullah-Geechee community vulnerable to higher property taxes and displacement.

Last October, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled the referendum on the zoning ordinance could go forward, reversing a lower court decision that had blocked the vote.

A positive result in Tuesday's election was not expected to be the end of the battle for the Gullah-Geechee people, as county commissioners have indicated they could still try to enact new zoning rules for Hogg Hummock.