The beaches we all enjoy belong to the people of South Carolina, held in trust by the state. They’re for all of us to share. That has been the fundamental issue over the past 13 years as the Coastal Conservation League has worked to protect the pristine Captain Sam’s Spit.

Last week, the South Carolina Supreme Court struck down permits — for the third time — that would have allowed construction on this fragile stretch of sand on the south end of Kiawah Island.

Working with our attorneys at the S.C. Environmental Law Project and the scientists at the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University, the Coastal Conservation League has spent more than a decade protecting Captain Sam’s from a proposed 50-home development and the associated infrastructure, like seawalls and roads. We hope the developers realize it’s time to abandon their plans for the spit, so we all can talk about how best to preserve this special place for our children and future generations.