The transfer of the Storm Lake Marina to Buena Vista County has taken another step forward.
The Iowa Natural Resource Commission voted at its January meeting to recommend that the State Executive Council approve transferring the title of roughly 17‑and‑a‑half acres of marina property to the county.
The action follows Buena Vista County’s formal request for the transfer, made through a 2023 resolution. The NRC found the move “desirable” under Iowa Code 461A.32, which allows the state to convey public lands to a county for park use. Once the Executive Council signs off, the land patent will be issued and ownership will shift to the county.
According to the NRC, the property is not public‑trust land. It was originally acquired in the 1960s for the purpose of developing a public marina and has been operated over the years by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the City of Storm Lake, and now Buena Vista County under a management agreement that began in March 2024.
As part of the transfer, a revertment clause will be included in the patent. If the land ever stops being used as a public park, it would revert to the state, and the county would be responsible for restoring it to its prior condition.
About seven‑and‑a‑half acres on the north side of the site—including a building used by DNR Fisheries and Law Enforcement—will remain under state ownership. A one‑acre portion of that area will continue to be managed by the county under a separate agreement, and the state will retain an easement for access.
County Conservation Director Greg Johnson says the county has already completed two major requirements for the transfer: a full property survey and an updated abstract.
Once the land patent is finalized by the DNR and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, the 17‑acre site will officially become county property. Under state law, it must remain open for public recreation. Board of Supervisors Chair Paul Merten says that requirement is clear.
The future use of the lakefront building remains under discussion. Supervisors want the front portion to continue hosting public events, similar to when Buoy’s Bar & Grill operated there. Conservation leaders have floated the idea of consolidating staff offices on the property.
Merten says both boards are working to balance public expectations with conservation needs.
In the meantime, the marina will remain open this season. Johnson says the bait shop has stayed open through the winter and will return to expanded summer hours. Staff have continued mowing, cleaning, and maintaining the grounds—work he describes as “phase one” of improving the site.
Launch docks are expected to be installed this spring, and restrooms and park access have also remained open throughout the winter.
Johnson says the lengthy timeline reflects the number of agencies involved and the step‑by‑step nature of the process.
Both boards say they’ll continue meeting jointly as the transfer moves forward. The next conservation board meeting is expected to be held at the marina.
