Buying Property on Shawnee Twin Lakes
The land belongs to the City. The home is yours to buy.
Here’s what that actually means before you write an offer.
Fishing, skiing, kayaking, and evenings on the dock. Some people have a cabin at Lake No. 1 for weekends. Others live there full-time. A few have turned their place into a short-term rental. There’s a certain cachet to owning lake property in a town where it doesn’t come up often, and the people who have it tend to hold on to it. When a cabin site does come available, buyers notice.
If you’re thinking about one of these properties, the transaction works differently than anything else in Shawnee.
Properties along the shores of Shawnee Lake No. 1 sit on land owned by the City of Shawnee. When you buy one of these homes or cabins, you’re purchasing the improvements (the structure and anything attached to it) and assuming the seller’s Cabin Site Lease with the City.
In other words, you do not own the land. You lease it. That’s a real distinction, and it affects your financing, your annual costs, and the steps required to close the sale. It’s also something many agents have never had to navigate, because most agents don’t work this market.
The lakes are located west of Highway 102, south of I-40, in Shawnee, Oklahoma. They’re two municipally owned reservoirs managed by the City primarily for water supply, flood control, and recreation.
Only Lake No. 1 has residential leased lots
Lake No. 2 is reserved for recreation and conservation; no cabin site leases exist there. See the City’s Twin Lakes page for general lake information.
The Cabin Site Lease
The City of Shawnee adopted updated lease ordinances (#2441NS and #2442NS) on September 7, 2010, effective November 1, 2010. All leases signed or renewed on or after that date are 30-year leases governed by those terms.
Lease Term
30 years. Leases are renewable. Leaseholders under the prior 5-year system could opt into the 30-year lease at any time.
Annual Lease Fee
The base rate was set at $600/year in 2010 and increases 2% annually (rounded to the nearest dollar). The fee is due on the anniversary date of your lease each year.
| Year | Annual Fee | Year | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $761 | 2034 | $965 |
| 2023 | $776 | 2035 | $984 |
| 2024 | $792 | 2036 | $1,004 |
| 2025 | $808 | 2037 | $1,024 |
| 2026 | $824 | 2038 | $1,045 |
| 2027 | $840 | 2039 | $1,066 |
| 2028 | $857 | 2040 | $1,087 |
| 2029 | $874 | 2041 | $1,109 |
| 2030 | $892 | 2042 | $1,131 |
| 2031 | $909 | 2043 | $1,153 |
| 2032 | $928 | 2044 | $1,176 |
| 2033 | $946 | 2045 | $1,200 |
Fee schedule adopted September 7, 2010. 2026 is highlighted. Source: City of Shawnee Lease Rate Fee Schedule, Lake No. 1. The Twin Lakes Master Plan (2023) recommends updating fees to reflect lot size and location in future years.
How the Transfer Process Works
When a leased-lot property sells, the seller’s lease doesn’t just pass automatically. It must be formally transferred and approved by the Shawnee City Commission. This is a routine process, but it has steps and a fee.
Negotiate and sign a purchase contract
The contract covers the improvements (structure) only. The land is not conveyed. Oklahoma’s standard purchase contract wasn’t written with leasehold properties in mind. The lease transfer needs to be addressed explicitly as a condition of closing, and that language has to be added deliberately.Contact the City of Shawnee Parks & Recreation
The seller and buyer both need to work with the City to initiate the lease transfer. The City will need the lot/tract designation, addresses, and names of both parties. Call 405-878-1528.Pay the $1,000 transfer fee
The $1,000 transfer fee is payable to the City of Shawnee upon transfer. This is separate from any sales price negotiated between the buyer and seller. Clarify in your contract who pays it.City Commission approval
Lease transfers appear on the Shawnee City Commission’s consent agenda, typically at a regular monthly meeting. The Commission votes to approve (or deny) the transfer. This is almost always routine, but it must happen before the transfer is official.New lease is issued
Once approved, the buyer receives a new 30-year Cabin Site Lease agreement with the City. Annual fees continue under the existing rate schedule based on the year the new lease is issued.Timeline note: The City Commission meets on the 3rd Monday of each month. There’s only one meeting per month. As a member of the Shawnee Planning Commission, the recommending body to the City Commission on zoning matters, I track these agendas closely. Missing the agenda cutoff is one of the most common ways lake deals get delayed. Build it into your closing timeline from day one. Click the button below for current agendas.
Zoning & Use Rules
Leased lots at Shawnee Twin Lakes fall within the Lake Protection Zoning District. A few rules matter most to buyers. The Twin Lakes Master Plan, adopted in early 2024, may shape additional standards over the next 10–20 years.
Permitted Uses
Single-family detached residences are permitted, along with a variety of accessory uses. No commercial uses.
Manufactured Homes
Only multi-sectioned (doublewide) manufactured homes are allowed for new placements. A single-wide can only replace an existing single-wide that predates November 1, 2010.
25-Foot Shoreline Buffer
A 25-foot lakeshore buffer exists around the lake. Within that zone: preserve native vegetation, no fertilizers or chemicals, no fencing.
Septic Requirements
Conventional septic systems must be pumped or inspected every 5 years by a licensed installer or sanitarian. Aerobic systems every 2 years. City inspection fee: $75.
Erosion Control
Erosion control measures must be in place before any land-disturbing activity begins on the lot.
Full Ordinances
Complete ordinance text is in the City of Shawnee Municipal Code (Chapter 16) or through Community Development at 405-878-1665.
A Word on Financing
Leased-land properties are not always straightforward to finance. Because you don’t own the underlying land, many conventional lenders require special underwriting. Some lenders won’t touch them at all.
Before you get far into the process, confirm with your lender that they can finance a leasehold property. If you’re using FHA or VA, there are additional guidelines around remaining lease term. This is a solvable problem, but one to solve early, not at the closing table.
If you’re still exploring the area more broadly, the Explore Shawnee page has more on what makes the community worth putting down roots in. And if you’re coming from out of town, the Move to Shawnee guide is a good place to start.
Not sure where to start? Ask me. The lenders who’ll say yes on these aren’t always the ones advertising in Shawnee. I know which ones have done it before.
Who to Call at the City
Parks & Recreation
Lease transfers, renewals, and permit questions
405-878-1528
401 N. Bell
Shawnee, OK
Community Development
Zoning, ordinances, septic, and building rules
405-878-1665
222 N. Broadway
Shawnee, OK
City Commission Agendas
Meeting schedule, transfer approvals, and minutes
City Commission Agendas
City Clerk: 405-878-1601
You’re buying the improvements: the home, cabin, or structures on the lot, not the land. The City of Shawnee owns the land, and you (as the new leaseholder) pay an annual lease fee to occupy it under a 30-year Cabin Site Lease agreement.
The 2026 annual fee is $824. It increases 2% per year, reaching $1,200 by 2045. The fee is due on the anniversary date of your lease. The Twin Lakes Master Plan recommends revisiting the fee structure to reflect lot size and location, so future adjustments beyond the current schedule are possible.
Everything. Lease transfers require City Commission approval. The Commission meets on the 3rd Monday of each month, and transfers go on the consent agenda. The consent agenda is usually toward the beginning of the meeting, and items like this are lumped into one motion for approval because they’re not usually controversial or require much discussion. You can’t close until that approval happens and the meeting minutes reflect it. Your contract needs to address that contingency properly, and your timeline needs to account for it.
Not if it’s new. Since January 1, 2011, only multi-sectioned (doublewide) manufactured homes are permitted for new placements. A single-wide can only replace an existing single-wide that was there before November 1, 2010.
It can be. Lenders need to be comfortable with leasehold properties, and not all are. FHA and VA loans have specific requirements around the lease term. Ask your lender directly or let me introduce you to a qualified lender before you get attached to a property. If a seller’s agent knows what they’re doing and is a strong advocate for their client, they’re going to make sure you have evidence of that before advising their client to accept an offer contingent on financing. Or, maybe that’s just me 🙂
Buying or Selling at the Lake?
Leased-lot transactions have a short list of agents who actually know how they work. Let’s talk before you even think about make a move.
Information on this page is derived from City of Shawnee ordinances, City Commission meeting records, and official City documents. Lease terms, fees, and rules are subject to change. Always verify current terms directly with the City of Shawnee before entering into a contract. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.