The Brick Baptist Church at the Penn Center on St. Helena Island. Photograph: Joshua Parks/The Guardian
Residents of St. Helena are grappling with a contentious proposal for a golf course, reflecting broader tensions about the island’s future.
On April 8, the Beaufort County Council meeting was buzzing with residents eager to voice their opinions regarding a proposed golf course at the Pine Island Plantation/St. Helenaville, a 500-acre property in South Carolina. For many, the stakes revolve around the future of their community.
Opponents of the golf course development cited “backroom shenanigans,” alleging the developer struck deals with local elected officials to gain support for his project. Marque Fireall, a resident of St. Helena Island, emphasized the need to heed the sentiments of the 20,000 people who signed a petition against the course. “We’re asking you to listen,” he urged.
Proponents, however, argue that the golf course could infuse much-needed infrastructure, resources, and jobs into the community. Jesse Gantt, a local real estate investor, indicated the cultural protection overlay (CPO)—which restricts developments like golf courses and gated communities—should be abolished. He contended, “It doesn’t allow me to do what I need to do with my property,” highlighting how local zoning rules have impeded his plans to build tiny houses for veterans.
The debate encapsulates the larger struggle between preservation and development facing sea islands throughout the southeastern U.S. Created in the late 1990s by local activists and the Penn School for Preservation, the CPO was intended to shield the land of the Gullah Geechee people, descendants of formerly enslaved West Africans who labored on the islands’ plantations and remained in the region post-Emancipation.
While the CPO has helped St. Helena maintain its rural charm, some argue it has gone too far, stifling Gullah Geechee residents from developing their own land. “They’re still losing their property at the delinquent tax sale,” Gantt remarked, noting that many landowners cannot afford their property taxes, leading to auction at annual tax sales—resulting in substantial property loss among Gullah owners. “So the CPO has absolutely no advantages for the Gullah people.”
This proposed golf course has become a symbolic battleground, pitting those advocating for development against those who prioritize environmental protection and Gullah Geechee traditions. “We must continually ask the residents within the CPO district whether they are satisfied with their current lifestyle compared to that of more developed areas like Hilton Head,” said Emory Campbell, a former executive director at the Penn Center.
St. Helenaville, once a bustling village and port for steaming ships carrying cotton, saw an exodus of white residents during the Civil War. In 1867, as Confederate landowners returned after presidential pardons, Black freedmen settled in the area. The Gullah Geechee community has maintained its unique cultural heritage throughout.
Despite overwhelming petition opposition, developer Elvio Tropeano has continued to challenge the county’s efforts to prevent the golf course, pursuing legal action in state and federal courts to dispute the CPO’s validity. Tropeano has refused multiple requests for interviews.
On September 16, in a significant win for CPO advocates, the Beaufort County Council voted 8-3 to reject Tropeano’s plans and support existing zoning requirements, though hearings for state and federal appeals are pending. Environmental advocate Jessie White warned that if Tropeano is allowed an exception to the CPO, it could set a “dangerous and bad precedent” for the entire county. “It signals that St. Helena is open for any developer,” White cautioned, emphasizing the risk of undermining the CPO’s intent.
As a journalist in Beaufort County during the 1990s, Theresa White witnessed community members struggling to cover their property taxes. Many borrowed money, creating a cycle of debt that spurred her to establish the Pan-African Family Empowerment and Land Preservation Network. For White, the CPO represents a “double-edged sword,” safeguarding land but simultaneously limiting Gullah Geechee residents’ development opportunities. She believes that development could foster generational wealth for landowners, stating, “It’s almost like they’re choking themselves to death.”
Currently, white residents comprise 65% of St. Helena’s population, while Black residents make up just 25%, according to 2020 Census data. Marilyn Hemingway, founder of the Gullah Geechee Chamber of Commerce, also supports the Pine Island development, asserting that residents were not adequately informed of Tropeano’s plans to create jobs and invest in the community. After engaging directly with Tropeano, Hemingway shifted her stance and began advocating for negotiations with him.
Hemingway argues that the right kind of development could revitalize the area. “Young people leave for education and career opportunities, and they generally don’t return,” she noted. She sees the golf course as a chance to provide jobs and investment that would entice young Gullah Geechee adults to remain on the island.
As Queen Quet, an author and artist, drove through the tranquil landscape of St. Helena, she reflected on the local environment and community needs. Serving as chair of the cultural protection overlay district committee, Queen Quet maintains that the CPO does not displace residents facing delinquent taxes. Instead, she views Tropeano’s plans as a colonial tactic aimed at dividing the community.
For many Gullah Geechee individuals, golf courses symbolize a decline in their heritage. Robert Adams, current executive director of the Penn Center, articulated that the CPO’s central ethos is clearly “no golf course,” as it attracts tourist infrastructure that could drive up local taxes.
Adams also noted the stark contrast between the open roads of Hilton Head Island and the more rural paths of St. Helena, which underscores the importance of community engagement. The Penn Center is set to revive its educational program in 2025, renamed the Emory Shaw Campbell Preservation School, aimed at empowering younger generations to understand and advocate for their community’s preservation.
Deloris Pringle, chair of the Penn Center’s board, highlighted a troubling trend: younger residents born after 1970 exhibit limited civic engagement. “They don’t know how unwise decisions can impact their lives and their descendants’ futures,” she stated. The Penn Center aspires to position St. Helena’s CPO as a model for other coastal communities, asserting, “It’s one of the best tools to create solid land use and development policy.”
