Sapelo zoning stalls

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Good morning! We have an update this morning on the long-running zoning battle in a Gullah-Geechee enclave on Sapelo Island. Then we see what’s up with two iconic Coastal Georgia species: Eastern diamondback terrapins and bald eagles. Finally, we share news of the state’s purchase of land near the Okefenokee.

Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org

---

NEWS: COMMUNITY

Sapelo zoning stalls

The McIntosh County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to table new zoning that would have capped house size at 1,800 square feet and 35 feet in the Hogg Hummock neighborhood of Sapelo Island, as The Current GA’s Mary Landers reports. Nearly a dozen residents spoke against the proposed zoning and the county attorney urged the zoning officials and the county commission to “go back to the drawing board.”

---

FEATURE: ENVIRONMENT

Terrapins missing from some creeks

Going creek by creek, researchers are counting Eastern diamondback terrapins in Coastal Georgia this summer, as The Current GA‘s Gracie Nelson reports. Terrapins live in the salt marsh, the only turtle species that does. Historically, they were nearly wiped out to make turtle soup. They’ve bounced back but are missing from some coastal Georgia creeks. Scientists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are performing this turtle census to pinpoint where they’re in trouble and figure out why. One possibility: abandoned crab traps that terrapins get stuck in and drown.

---

NEWS: ENVIRONMENT

The coast, where eagles fly

If you spied a bald eagle in Georgia over the holiday weekend, chances are you did so here on the coast where these birds abound. The annual Peach State count of nests occupied by pairs of our national bird was abbreviated this year, but it included the coast, where tall pines and abundant fishing spots make for primo bald eagle habitat. As usual, Chatham County led with 29 occupied bald eagle nests when the Department of Natural Resources conducted its helicopter survey.

---

---

NEWS: ENVIRONMENT

State to purchase land near Okefenokee

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources last month approved the purchase of 2,900 acres of land from The Conservation Fund to create a new state wildlife management area near the Okefenokee, as Marisa Mecke of WABE reports. Called Alachua Trail WMA, the area will provide not only a bigger buffer around the swamp, but also space for longleaf pine restoration and protection of species such as gopher tortoises and indigo snakes.

---

Also noted

• Savannah’s new stormwater utility fee takes effect Sept. 1, adding about $5 to the average homeowner’s monthly water bill. Those fees can be reduced if homeowners mitigate their stormwater runoff with options including rain barrels and planting trees. Learn more here. About 75 Georgia cities already charge a stormwater utility fee, including Garden City, Richmond Hill, Statesboro, Brunswick, and Hinesville.

• Riceboro is struggling to manage its water and wastewater systems, The Current’s Robin Kemp reports. Riceboro is seeking a loan from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority to finance the necessary upgrades, while also facing challenges related to its industrial customers and residential projects.

• The nonprofit Center for a Sustainable Coast is conducting a survey to learn Coastal Georgia residents’ opinions about environmental quality. Questions cover topics including water and air quality as well as extreme heat and coastal flooding. Find a link to the survey here.

---

We want to meet your friends! If you like this newsletter be sure to share it. And, if someone shared this with you, click here to sign up for regular delivery!

---

Support independent, solutions-based investigative journalism without bias, fear or favor on issues affecting Savannah and Coastal Georgia.

WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM