SEATTLE — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
A King County judge ruled last week that the nude beach at Seattle’s Denny Blaine Park can stay open until spring.
The decision follows months of debate over public nudity, neighborhood complaints, and city enforcement.
The city had considered closing the beach after reports of lewd behavior, but the judge said there wasn’t enough evidence to justify immediate action.
Seattle faces lawsuit over nude beach at Denny Blaine Park
In April, neighbors who lived near the park sued the city over what they claimed was a rash of sex perverts who would allegedly drive to the park to publicly masturbate, Seattle Red and KIRO 7 have reported.
The neighborhood group, Denny Blaine Park for All, filed a complaint against the City of Seattle and Seattle Parks and Recreation.
However, parkgoers like longtime visitor “David the mailbox man” defended the culture at the park, saying the crowd polices itself during the day and that those causing trouble typically arrive after dark.
“It’s nude, not lewd,” David told “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio in May.
In July, King County Superior Court Judge Samuel Chung sided with Denny Blaine Park for All to temporarily close the park unless the City of Seattle acted within two weeks.
“Today’s decision granted the injunction and confirms the city has failed to stop ongoing illegal activity at Denny Blaine Park — including public sex and masturbation, indecent exposure, and lewd conduct,” Denny Blaine Park for All wrote in a statement. “The injunction is a necessary step to make the park safe for everyone, giving the city two weeks to do what it has ignored for years: respond to very real complaints and restore public safety.”
The court ordered the City of Seattle to submit a plan of abatement within 14 days.
In August, the city installed fencing to divide the park into clothing-optional and clothing-required zones, according to Seattle Red.
“The city has consistently said that we will not tolerate lewd and illegal activities at the park, including masturbation, leering, or public sex,” the City of Seattle stated after unveiling the plan in July. “We believe the proposed plan balances the historical nude use of the park, including by the LGBTQIA+ community, while also addressing unwanted and illegal behaviors that impact both park users and the surrounding community.”
Denny Blaine Park for All warned that the fencing could worsen matters while failing to address existing safety problems.
Contributing: Aaron Granillo and Katrina Guischard, KIRO Newsradio; Jason Rantz, Seattle Red; Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest
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