Property owners at a historically Black beach have joined a conservation group and the town of Pawleys Island in calling for a public hearing on a plan to dredge sand from Midway Inlet to repair erosion damage in front of a gated community on the south end of Litchfield Beach.

The Peninsula Property Owners Association is seeking federal and state permits to dig up to 75,000 cubic yards from the inlet up to two times within five years if needed to rebuild the beach. The association funded the placement of 450,000 cubic yards of offshore sand in front of the community in 2022.

The work would only be done if the volume of sand in front of the Peninsula drops below 50 percent of that added in 2022, according to the permit application.