The Storm Lake City Council has voted 4–1 to accept a $125,000 Resource Enhancement and Protection grant to help fund Phase One of the proposed Storm Lake Nature Area.
The decision came at Monday night’s regular bimonthly meeting.
City staff emphasized the award is especially significant—Storm Lake’s application scored highest of all communities statewide, across every population class. The grant represents nearly 17 percent of the total funding awarded in Storm Lake’s category.
Phase One will include an entry road, parking area, and the first loop of a hiking and biking trail, giving the public access to the site for the first time. Native plantings and prairie restoration are also planned. The site is located east of the Storm Lake Golf Course and Sunrise Park Campgrounds, near the former dredge spoil site.
Because the land is already city‑owned, much of the work can be completed by the Public Services Department, and could begin as early as this winter, says City Communications Coordinator Dana Larsen.
New council member Don Piercy Jr. cast the lone dissenting vote. He said he supports recreation, but questioned whether the city should take on new projects while existing infrastructure needs remain. He also raised concerns about long‑term maintenance and whether the nature area would truly draw visitors.
Piercy pointed to examples like Honey Creek Resort in south central Iowa, which closed after losing money, as cautionary tales.
Councilperson Meg McKeon countered that the project will add new opportunities for residents and visitors, and fits with the council’s long‑standing goals for recreation.
Officials emphasized the nature area is located entirely on city‑owned property—not land controlled by the Lake Improvement Commission.
The grant requires completion of the funded work by the end of 2027, though city leaders hope to finish much sooner. They say the project will not only expand recreation options but also serve as a new tourism draw for Storm Lake.
