Friends of Denny Blaine submit plan to preserve nude use of park under court order
Community responds to judge’s nuisance ruling with targeted proposal to abate illegal behavior while protecting nudity
The community stewardship group Friends of Denny Blaine (FODB) has submitted a formal abatement plan to the City of Seattle, outlining a series of measures designed to reduce illegal activity at the city’s only clothing-optional beach while preserving its long-standing tradition of legal public nudity.
The proposal comes in response to a July 14 court order from King County Superior Court Judge Samuel Chung, who ruled that nudity “as currently constituted” at Denny Blaine Park contributes to a public nuisance. The judge ordered the City to produce a “plan of abatement” within 14 days or face further legal consequences, raising concerns that the park’s clothing-optional use could be curtailed or eliminated altogether.
The ruling is the latest development in an escalating conflict between supporters of the park’s nude culture and a group of nearby residents called Denny Blaine Park For All, who filed a lawsuit earlier this year seeking to limit the park’s nude use. The suit cites public masturbation, sex acts, drug use, and other forms of disorder as justification for increased enforcement. In recent months, the dispute has spilled over into public meetings, city politics, and direct confrontations with police—prompting widespread concern among advocates for LGBTQ+ safety, bodily autonomy, and public space access.
FODB’s newly proposed plan, linked below for convenience, attempts to thread a careful needle. It seeks to satisfy the court’s directive by targeting actual nuisance behavior while reaffirming that simple nudity remains legal under Washington state law. In a cover letter to city officials, the group states, “We do not see a conflict between addressing nuisance at Denny Blaine while also maintaining the park’s longstanding tradition of nude use.”
The three-part plan
At the core of the abatement proposal are three measures: increased park ranger presence, clear signage, and enforcement focused on repeat offenders.
The plan recommends stationing a Seattle Park Ranger at Denny Blaine or significantly increasing ranger patrols during hours when problems are most likely to occur. According to the group, the goal is to clearly distinguish between legal nude use and illegal acts, while discouraging the perception that the park is unmonitored or ignored.
“If continual park ranger monitoring during park hours for the duration of the injunction is not feasible,” the proposal states, “working to ascertain peak problem times in collaboration with neighbors and beachgoers would allow efficient use of the City’s resources.”
Second, the group recommends posting prominent signage at park entrances to outline behavioral expectations and clarify the legality of nudity. A sample sign includes language such as: “At this park, you may encounter nudity. Affronting or alarming actions towards others while nude can constitute indecent exposure. All sexual activity is against the law.” The sign also lists prohibited behaviors, including public urination, harassment, illegal parking, and destruction of landscaping.
The third pillar of the plan is to prioritize enforcement against repeat offenders, who, according to FODB, are responsible for the majority of nuisance incidents. Citing 911 logs and public records, the plan calls for enforcing existing laws against sexual misconduct while avoiding broad crackdowns on legal nude recreation. “A park ranger stationed at the park would be able to take swift action to ban offenders and enforce those bans,” it says.
The proposal marks a shift for Friends of Denny Blaine, which had previously voiced concerns about the potential chilling effect of uniformed patrols on nude parkgoers. However, with the park’s status under direct legal threat, the group has opted for a pragmatic approach aimed at preserving its core values while addressing the court’s demands, clearly a strategic concession given the seriousness of the threat against the beach.
FODB notes that the current parking layout at Denny Blaine contributes to off-hours sexual activity in vehicles and proposes future collaboration with the city to redesign access and reduce opportunities for misconduct. The group also expresses support for a “Micro-Community Policing Plan,” or MCPP, which would formalize neighborhood and stakeholder input into enforcement decisions while protecting First Amendment–protected nudity.
The city's next move
The City of Seattle has until July 28 to submit its abatement plan to the court. Whether it adopts FODB’s proposal in whole or in part remains to be seen. No hearings are currently scheduled before the deadline, though a motion to dismiss the case is expected to be heard in late August.
While some interpreted the judge’s remarks during the July 14 hearing as leaving room for continued nude use at the park, the written order was more severe in tone. “The Court finds evidence submitted by Plaintiff and largely unrebutted by the City shows that the City has refrained from taking any action to address nudity and sexual acts in the Park,” Judge Chung wrote, raising the stakes for how the City and its legal team respond.1
In the meantime, public support is building. A petition launched last week to “Save Denny Blaine (Again)” has begun circulating across social media and nudist networks, and has rapidly gained over 2,500 signatures. The petition emphasizes the park’s decades-long role as a safe space for LGBTQ+ Seattleites, body freedom advocates, and naturist visitors. “Eliminating nudity from Denny Blaine Park would erase a safe place so many people use to gather, express themselves, affirm their gender identity, and much more,” the petition reads.
What you can do
Friends of Denny Blaine have submitted a reasonable, community-led plan that targets actual nuisance behavior while preserving the park’s historic clothing-optional culture. But the City needs to hear from the public—loudly and now.
Sign the petition to save Denny Blaine:
change.org/p/save-denny-blaine-againContact Seattle City Council and urge them to support a solution that respects legal nude use:
seattle.gov/council/meet-the-council
What happens at Denny Blaine will set a precedent that resonates beyond Seattle for how other cities handle public nudity, community stewardship, and cultural expression in public spaces. If you care about body freedom, queer visibility, or the right to simply be yourself outdoors, now is the time to speak up. 🪐
More on Denny Blaine:
Capitol Hill Seattle. (2025, July 22). Group proposes plan including park rangers and new signs to keep Denny Blaine open — and nude. https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2025/07/group-proposes-plan-including-park-rangers-and-new-signs-to-keep-denny-blaine-open-and-nude/