Frequently Asked Questions

We love Walker Lake! Our families have lived on Walker Lake for four generations. We heard a big company wanted to come in and spoil the lake with an excessive development. The best regional environmental minds were consulted on ways to preserve habitat, fishing and views. The result is a low-impact, natural community for 34 lucky families. We donated over 1/2 mile of shoreline as a conservation easement to the MN-DNR and sold another piece of land to the fisheries department. This resulted in 1-1/2 miles of preserved wildlife and fish habitat.

You can own a share of 3,400 feet of protected shoreline with more to do than other lake property owners. Swim in our large beach area. Take a leisurely walk with minimal traffic. Play ball or practice golf in the playfield. Picnic in a private park. Go fishing while others maintain your yard.

Sharing amenities gives you better choices for less. Small bare lots on Otter Tail Lake can cost over $300,000. Get a complete home and room to roam at Walker Lake Preserve for less money. Then buy a boat with the money left over and cruise into Otter Tail Lake. Do you enjoy your privacy? Do you like nature? Walker Lake Preserve is the place for you. If you’re looking for a better life, you’ve found it. We think you’ll love Walker Lake too!

Get more amenities like walking trails, playfield, large beach and picnic area. You can elect to have your home maintained so you have more free time. You can enjoy your time at the lake. With shared amenities you get more choices for little added expense.

The property owners association owns the lakeshore and amenities. Each property owner has a proportional interest in the homeowners association. The assessed value on your home is less since you don't directly own the lakeshore. The amount of the savings will vary depending on each situation, but can be hundreds of dollars annually.

There are 28 boat slips available. Owners or Seasonal renters can rent a slip for the season if available. Overnight use of any available slip is subuject to a daily use charge. Slip holders retain seniority rights from year to year. Electrical service is provided to the shoreline. Always-on or solar-activated lights are not allowed on slips without home owner association permission. Boat lift are supplied by the renter and are optional. Lifts should be less than 10 foot wide at the wheels. Wide lifts and lifts without fopuir wheels are assessed a movement surcharge. Lifts must be in good repair and canopies with a "see-through" design that are open at both ends are preferred. The rules and regulations has the complete set of rules on boat slips.

The summer after 18 units are sold, a vote of owners can be held, if a majority wish to pave the road, the road will be paved to county standards for a township road. A special assessment will be applied to each owner to pay for the pavement. If voted down, the matter can be brought up at future annual meetings.

Recreation Camping Units (RCU's) are permitted under Otter Tail County Shoreland management Ordinance. Camping or living in temporary quarters on your lot is allowed. Each unit is allowed a set number of dwellings. On a single dwelling unit, owners are allowed one permanent dwelling or one RCU, but not both. Owners can have one additional temporary dwelling, like a tent or RV on site, for a period of time not to exceed two week as long as it is not connected to water and septic. Up to two vehicles may be parked on a lot outside a garage. Any trailer or dwelling not permanently attached to the ground must be of recent construction and maintained in good repair.

Once a home is started, the exterior must be completed within one year. You do not need to start building immediately.

Access to Otter Tail is provided through the Dead River on the SE corner of Walker Lake. The water level in the channel fluctuates with lake levels. Navigation through this channel is best done with a shallow drafting boat such as a Shallow V Outboard or High Floatation Pontoon Boat. Boats with inboard motors will not work well. Most Inboard/Outboards and Deep V boats will experience problems in low water. You must pass under a bridge on County Road 1 which provides about 6' of clearance.

The Dead River channel has a sandy bottom and is lined with cattails on the north side of County Road 1. The shallowest point of the access is about 100 feet into Otter Tail Lake where a sand bar will build up depending on wind and current.

Most years, Otter tail can be easily accessed in the spring time and through late June. During the later summer months, you may have to get out and push your boat across the sand bar as the water may be less than 1 foot deep. However, the water is warm and if you enjoy lake living, it is not a major inconvenience to wade a little. Most years you can use the river access all summer. However, sometimes the water level drops to a point where the lakes are landlocked. If so, there are a number of accesses to Otter Tail within a few miles.

Davis Lake can be also accessed from the Dead River flowing into Walker Lake on the NW corner by canoe or flat-bottomed boat by anyone who enjoys an adventure.

All owners of Walker Lake Preserve own the lakeshore. 3,400 feet of lakeshore in Walker Lake Preserve is owned by the property owners association (WLPCSA). The walking trails, beach and dock area are all on commonly owned property. Each owner has a 1/34th interest in the WLPCSA.

Town homes and Twin home form a limited common element to maintain their dwellings and the surrounding property.

Single family homes are maintained by the property owner. They can get a maintenance agreement with the property owners association to maintain their property for lawn mowing, landscaping, snow removal and exterior maintenance.

Subject to any necessary County approval, no more than one large outbuilding or detached garage not to exceed two thousand four hundred (2,400) square feet and one small outbuilding not to exceed two hundred sixty (260) square feet shall be constructed on a single dwelling lot or on twin dwelling lots. All outbuildings (including detached garages) shall be designed to be architecturally compatible to the dwelling(s) on the lot. There is no maximum size on the attached garage except there is a generous limit on the maximum impervious surface on each lot.

A pool may be built. After 18 units are sold there could be a vote of the owners whether to build a pool next to the pavilion. If it is agreed, then a special assessment to each lot will be made to cover the cost of construction and dues will increase to cover the additional costs.

Many expense you'd normally pay separately!

Common area mowing, trail maintenance, common tree pruning, equipment leasing and maintenance, restroom and common ground cleaning, common snow removal, private road maintenance, supplies, reserves, common electricity, bookkeeping, accounting, legal, insurance, management and annual meeting expense. Normal household garbage is an optional service. Each owner is responsible for mowing and maintenance of their lot. This can be contracted for a reasonable fee.

Each property owner pays a pro-rated share of the total actual expense. Monthly dues for the general association are shown in the current association budget and are adjusted annually. Dues will increase if a pool is built to cover the additional maintenance, utilities, chemicals and insurance expense.

All property owners belong to the general association. Property owners in multiple unit homes form another limited common element that covers their unique maintenance and upkeep costs. Other limited common elements can be created to cover their unique maintenance and upkeep costs. Dues for the limit common elements that property owners may belong such as shared wells, septic and electricity.

Each property owner has a vote on the board directors. The board appoints the architectural control committee. Details on terms and rules are available on request.

General Disclosure
Final Declaration
WLPCSA  Annual Report 2023
Rules and Regulations
Final Plat
Articles of Incorporation
Agreement Limiting Warranties
Conservation Easement
Conservation Easement Management Plan
Property Owner Association Bylaws
Seasonal Rental Operating Policies
Waiting List
Seasonal Lease Agreement