A newly filed lawsuit demands that a local developer transfer ownership of parts of Captain Sams Spit to the Kiawah Island Community Association and protect the remaining highlands by ensuring it becomes green space.

It’s the latest chess move in a complicated battle over the Spit that has pitted private interests against conservation efforts for more than a decade.

The May 10 lawsuit, filed by the Town of Kiawah Island, Kiawah Island Community Association and Kiawah Conservancy, comes months after an agreement between the town and developer expired in December 2023.

It also follows the developer’s offer to sell the spit to the state for $40 million, an offer that’s still under review.