Seattle proposes new nude-friendly policy for Denny Blaine Park
Seattle seeks to codify nudity rules for the traditionally clothing-optional beach, and anonymous donor revealed in last year's playground controversy
Seattle Parks and Recreation is set to formalize a policy for Denny Blaine Park that preserves its status as a clothing-optional space while addressing concerns from local residents. This move follows last year’s controversy over a proposed children’s play area, funded by an anonymous donor now revealed to be Stuart Sloan, a prominent Seattle philanthropist. The proposal, which will be discussed in a public meeting on May 16th (today), seeks to balance the interests of the park’s naturist and LGBTQ+ communities with those of the affluent neighborhood residents who have voiced complaints about the park’s current use.
Controversy and community response
Denny Blaine Park, a long-standing haven for nudists and a queer-friendly space, faced a significant challenge last year when Seattle Parks proposed adding a children’s play area. The plan, funded by an anonymous $550,000 donation, sparked immediate backlash. Critics argued that the playground would disrupt the park’s unique environment, historically cherished by the LGBTQ+ community for its inclusivity and freedom of expression.
Recent revelations detailed this week by KUOW public radio in Washington have identified Stuart Sloan, a prominent Seattle philanthropist, as the anonymous donor behind the controversial playground proposal. Sloan, who owns a waterfront mansion next to the park, reportedly leaned on mayoral contacts and pushed for the playground to mitigate what he saw as nuisances from the park’s naturist visitors. Texts to the mayor’s personal cell phone and meetings arranged by Sloan with city officials, including presentations of playground mockups and cost estimates, establish the influence exerted outside of official channels.
The neighbors to the nude beach who oppose its nude use established Denny Blaine Park for All (DBPA) in 2024. DBPA employed the strategic communications firm The Keller Group, which revealed to KUOW that the idea to install a children’s playground at the park originated from the city. A second report in Seattle’s The Stranger this week chose not to mince words: “The Keller Group told the station that the idea to put a kid’s playground in a queer, nudist sun temple during a time of surging anti-LGBTQ groomer rhetoric came from the City, not from Sloan.”1
This news sheds light on how wealthy individuals can influence city projects and underscores the importance of community activism in preserving public spaces.
Enter the Friends of Denny Blaine
Last year’s controversy led to the emergence of the “Save Denny Blaine” campaign as a key advocate for preserving the park’s nudist and LGBTQ+ traditions. The campaign, which included a petition, quickly garnered thousands of signatures in response to the playground proposal. A pivotal community meeting on December 6, 2023, saw an overwhelming turnout, with attendees passionately defending the park’s status as a safe space for naturists and the queer community. This outcry led Seattle Parks to reverse its course on the playground plans, recognizing the importance of maintaining Denny Blaine as a clothing-optional area.
Following this victory, organizers of the “Save Denny Blaine” campaign stepped up to the task ahead. According to a recent Instagram Post by @SaveDennyBlaine:
After Seattle Parks announced its termination of the playground project last fall, Seattle Parks Foundation (SPF) reached out to some of the organizers and helped to create 🌈 “Friends of Denny Blaine”🌈 (FODB).2
The post goes on to describe Friends of Denny Blaine as “a community group committed to looking out for the park and voicing the needs of our community.”
Over the last several months, FODB has been organizing community support and coordinating with Seattle Parks on various initiatives, according to one of the group’s co-organizers, Sophie Amity Debs. “We’ve actually been working with parks on this,” Debs told Planet Nude. “We saw this when it was in an earlier draft that we weren’t happy with, and the neighbors weren’t happy with it. We have been present in the brainstorming process throughout. On the whole, we feel that it’s good to get on the books that this is a space where folks are expected to be nude.”
However, Debs also highlights that the beach was operating without issue for years as an unofficial nude beach, fully within the boundaries of the law. “Nudity is legal in the state of Washington, but not everyone knows that, and the laws are kind of weird. So, sometimes folks feel like by using the beach, they’re in the wrong. This has been a place for nudity since the 1960s, and it goes back further. Even one of the founding architects of Seattle, Ellsworth Storey, was actually arrested for bathing in the nude back in the early 1900s.”
Co-organizers have been meeting with Seattle Parks and neighbors to propose ideas and tackle problems. They are applying for grants, reimagining landscaping, and working on solutions for issues like parking and ADA access. These efforts also include formalizing the park’s clothing-optional status, improving signage, and enhancing the park’s infrastructure while respecting its unique cultural and historical significance.
Analyzing the new policy proposal
The new policy proposal, technically referred to as supplemental usage guidelines, aims to explicitly codify the legality of nudity at Denny Blaine Park, while also creating designated zones to address neighborhood concerns. The proposal outlines two zones within the park: Zone A, near the water, where visitors can be nude or clothed, and Zone B, around the entrance, where visitors are requested to wear clothing or at least a towel.
From the naturist perspective, the policy represents a significant victory in safeguarding the park’s clothing-optional tradition. The proposal states, “Nudity that does not amount to indecent exposure as defined by RCW 9a.88.010 or Section 6.2 of this Policy is not prohibited.” This clear language ensures that non-sexual nudity remains protected, providing legal assurance to naturist and LGBTQ+ individuals who frequent the park.
However, introducing designated zones could be considered a compromise, particularly considering the legality of public nudity in the state. Although no current plans exist for a children’s playground, the policy seems to leave room for future developments that could yet alter the park’s dynamics. Nevertheless, Sophie Amity Debs of FODB tells Planet Nude, “as a Friends Of group, the city will be discussing future plans for the site with us! Which should help to safeguard against any more threats to the park. We’re also hopeful that getting this text into the Park Usage Guidelines should serve as a bit of future-proofing; that’s the main reason we came to the table in the first place.”
On the whole, the proposed policy seems to strike a reasonable balance, promoting coexistence between park visitors and local residents. Even the language around the clothed area is clear that clothes are “requested,” not “required.” The result is hopefully a situation that fosters mutual respect between the folks enjoying nudity at the beach and the neighborhood looking to avoid offense.
“Ultimately, we want to be on good terms with the neighbors,” Debs says. “We don’t want to bother those who aren’t comfortable with nudity. It's important for everyone to be considerate. We need to be considerate of the neighbors, and they need to recognize that they chose to live near a nude beach.”
Proper signage and community engagement will be crucial in ensuring the policy’s success and maintaining Denny Blaine as a welcoming space for all. “No one wants people to be charged for simply being nude at the beach,” Debs says. “The park-goers, the parks department, and the neighbors all agree on that.”
Public meeting and community involvement
A public meeting to discuss the proposed policy updates will be held on May 16th from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Seattle Parks and Recreation’s headquarters at 100 Dexter Ave N.
The meeting will also be accessible virtually with the Meeting ID: 259 365 210 89 and Passcode: K9oqy8. See this link for more info.
The Friends of Denny Blaine Park group is encouraging all supporters to attend and provide feedback.
In addition to the meeting, the group has organized a park clean-up party on Sunday, May 19th, to further demonstrate their commitment to maintaining and improving the park and preserving Denny Blaine as a cherished space for naturists and the LGBTQ+ community.
For more information on the policy proposal and upcoming events, visit the Friends of Denny Blaine website at friendsofdennyblaine.org. 🪐
Update 5/16 8:30AM PDT: Article was updated to add DBPA and a factual correction to the employment of the Keller Group.
Read more
McCall, V. (2024, May 15). Mayor Bruce Harrell met with Denny Blaine donor at a key moment during controversial playground proposal. The Stranger. https://www.thestranger.com/news/2024/05/15/79515830/mayor-bruce-harrell-met-with-denny-blaine-donor-at-a-key-moment-during-controversial-playground-proposal
Save Denny Blaine. (2024, May 12). Hey. What’s been going on since DB has been saved? [Instagram post]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/C68-SrNRdyi/
It is good to see some positive movement. It doesn't affect my area or situation, but I am always glad to hear of at least minor wins for nudism.
As an occasional (nude) visitor to D-B Park, I applaud this move... although I am used to getting nude at my car in the parking lot and re-dressing in the parking lot, and being able to go nude anywhere on the grounds, having to have minimal coverage to go to the waterfront area may be a small price to pay to have official recognition of clothing-optional use.