Mosquito Beach community continues fight for road ownership

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - For more than 20 years, the Mosquito Beach Business Association has been fighting to gain control of Mosquito Beach Road.

The Charleston County Public Works Committee recently denied the MBBA’s request for the county to abandon the road.

Mosquito Beach Road is off of Sol Legare Road and leads to the historic Mosquito Beach community.

Members of the Mosquito Beach Association say having control of the road will help them restore the area to its former glory.

Mosquito Beach was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places. Long-time residents are working to beautify the area. However, they say it’s hard to do that without privacy.

Bill Wilder is one of the property owners in the community. He says now that Mosquito Beach is getting more recognition, it needs more security.

”It’s very important that we have a gate now because people are down here all times of day and night," Wilder said. "Taking pictures... and when you try to confront them they say, well this is public access. So we want to be afforded privacy to be able to maintain our property.”

Currently, Charleston County owns the paved road and land on the sides.

The county’s ‘Waterfront Abandonment Policy’ states that “Charleston County, as a general rule, will not relinquish said interest in land that is adjacent to water and/or marshland. Exceptions must be approved by a majority vote of council, upon recommendation of the County Administrator.

Wilder says the Mosquito Beach Business Association plans to appeal the county’s decision.

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