Press Release
July 28, 2026
Captain Sams Inlet Relocation Permit Application Status Update
SIPOA began preparations to submit a permit application for the 4th Captain Sams Inlet Relocation project in the spring of 2025 by meeting with project stakeholders and collecting their feedback.
A permit application was filed with the SC Department of Environmental
Services (SCDES) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in October 2025. In March of 2026, a settlement agreement was proposed that would transfer ownership of Captain Sams Spit from Kiawah Development Partners to the State of SC.
This settlement agreement is proceeding through the state budgeting process, but the timeline for final approval and property transfer is not clear at this time. As part of the permit requirements with SCDES and USACE, SIPOA must obtain authorization from the property owner before any construction activities can
be authorized.
Therefore, the Captain Sams Spit settlement agreement and pending ownership
transfer are preventing SIPOA’s permit application from being reviewed by SCDES and USACE. According to SCDES, these permit applications must be processed within certain defined regulatory timelines.
Because SIPOA’s permit application will likely exceed any applicable timeline as determined by SCDES, SCDES has requested that SIPOA agree to a pause
in the current permitting review process. Accordingly, SIPOA has agreed to withdraw its permit applications with SCDES and USACE to allow the Captain Sams Spit settlement agreement and future ownership of the subject property to be resolved.
Similar issues were overcome during the previous inlet relocation permitting process. SIPOA withdrew its permit applications prior to the 2015 inlet relocation to allow for construction access issues to be addressed with the property owner at the time.
“SIPOA is committed to implementing the 4th inlet relocation project as part of Seabrook Island’s shoreline management program and will resubmit permit applications once the property ownership issues have been resolved.”
-Submitted by John Lassiter, SIPOA Board President