A big question is hanging over the Storm Lake Marina — and the county wants answers.
The Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors got an update this week on where things stand with the marina, as the county continues preparing for the eventual transfer of the property from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
County Conservation Director Greg Johnson told supervisors that while the conservation board has already set its long‑term direction — keeping staff, programming and operations at the county park near Peterson — the future use of the marina building itself is still very much in play.
Supervisors asked Johnson whether his board has discussed the idea raised earlier by the marina subcommittee: opening the building for public rentals or events. Johnson said the conservation board hasn’t revisited the topic since voting this spring to be open to third‑party vendors.
Johnson said part of the delay comes down to cost — both for the county and for any potential operator. He told supervisors that some of those financial questions need to be settled before the board can move forward.
He also said the most realistic next step will come after the property is officially transferred to the county. At that point, he said, the conservation board would be in a better position to issue a formal Request for Proposals and see whether any businesses or organizations are truly interested in leasing or operating the space.
Supervisors also asked about smaller‑scale public rentals, such as tables and chairs, and whether that could happen sooner. Johnson said the idea has been discussed, but no timeline has been set.
The county is still waiting for the final land patent from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Once the transfer is complete, the 17‑acre site will officially become county property and must remain open for public recreation under state law.
