Blue City Judge Orders Crackdown On Lewd Sex Acts At Nude Beach

A King County Superior Court judge on Tuesday permanently ordered the City of Seattle to crack down on sex acts and lewd behavior at a popular beach known for attracting nude sunbathers and members of the LGBTQ community.

In a 14-page ruling, Judge Samuel Chung found that illegal sexual conduct at Denny Blaine Park constitutes a public nuisance that has “substantially interfered with nearby residents’ ability to use and enjoy their homes,” according to KING5 News.

The decision is a victory for a coalition of neighbors who sued the city. Chung granted the plaintiffs’ request for a permanent injunction, directing Seattle officials to increase park staffing, deter lewd conduct, prevent trespassing onto neighboring properties, and install signage informing visitors of proper behavior.

Chung stopped short of ordering the permanent closure of the park, saying that course of action would not provide a long-term solution, KING 5 reported. 

Located on the affluent western shore of Lake Washington, Denny Blaine Park is a 2-acre waterfront park known for swimming, picnicking, and views of Mount Rainier. For decades, the park’s grassy, unguarded beach has been a popular gathering place for LGBTQ members to strip down. 

Starting in 2010 and increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic, community members began documenting “escalating incidents of public masturbation, sexual acts, voyeurism, and trespassing,” Chung wrote, according to KOMO News. The judge concluded that those activities “substantially interfere” with neighboring homeowners’ rights to use their properties safely.

Court documents show that 13 homes nearby experienced a 10% decline in property values, according to KING 5.

The ruling found that city officials and Seattle police handled complaints at Denny Blaine Park differently because of concerns over bias allegations and potential lawsuits, according to KOMO. Chung said evidence showed park employees were discouraged from confronting inappropriate behavior, while police often needed supervisory approval before responding to calls.

Denny Blaine Park For All, a neighborhood group that sued Seattle over conditions at the park, hailed the ruling as a victory. The group’s website includes disturbing videos and photos, which it says corroborate complaints of lewd sex acts and drug use.

“The court affirmed what they have been saying for years, ruling that: ‘The prevalence of nudity and lewd conducts have substantially interfered with the Plaintiff’s ability to use and enjoy their properties’ and ‘the court also finds that unlike visitors to the park, plaintiff residents’ experience with nudity and lewd conduct has been much more extensive, repeated, and harmful,'” the plaintiffs said in a statement, according to KOMO. 

“The Denny Blaine community will be laser-focused on holding the city accountable and ensuring it follows the court’s orders,” the group added. 

Tuesday’s ruling followed a 2025 preliminary injunction directing the city to begin abatement efforts. In response, Seattle officials submitted a plan to divide the park into two areas: clothing-optional and clothing-required. 

“This plan balances the historical nude use of the park while also responding to the court order that the City must abate nuisance activities,” the Seattle Parks and Recreation website reads. 

Chung found the plan failed to curb illegal behavior at the park, prompting him to issue a permanent injunction mandating increased enforcement measures.

Friends of Denny Blaine, a group representing LGBTQ nude beachgoers, disagreed with the ruling, saying Denny Blaine works best “when everyone” feels safe and respected.

“In particular, we believe the ruling gives substantial weight to conditions that predate the abatement measures now in place, and does not fully reflect the significant improvements at the park over the past year — improvements the evidence at trial documented,” the group said. “We believe that the evidence reflects that the park is not currently a nuisance and that the park should ultimately be restored to its full historical status as a fully clothing-optional park.”