The city finally committed to restoring our green spaces and clearing the parks. Seeing my own neighborhood park restored to a safe place for families feels like a weight has been lifted. Thank you to the 590 of you who joined me in demanding that our public lands remain protected …
July 5, 2018
Final supporters
In response to widespread damage to the Seattle Parks system, we call on the Seattle Parks Department to fulfill their environmental stewardship by swiftly and fully applying the laws against encampments and other illegal uses in city parks.
Seattle Municipal Code 18.12.250 - Camping. It is unlawful to camp in any park except at places set aside and posted for such purposes by the Superintendent.(Ord. 106615 § 13, 1977.)
The Parks Department is authorized under Multi-Department Administrative Rules (MDARs) to immediately remove encampments in a city park and need to do so because:
- Encampments in our parks cause serious, long- term environmental damage.
- Encampments are inconsistent with the mission of the Parks Department to provide welcoming and safe recreational opportunities to the public.
- We expect the Parks Department and the City of Seattle to be consistent and committed ecological stewards of our parks for current and future generations.
- Rapid enforcement upholds the expectation that no encampments will be tolerated in any city park at any time. This reduces costs and improves the condition of our parks.
- It is a reasonable social, fiscal, and environmental policy to protect our parks from uses such as encampments. Applying these rules is good for people, parks and wildlife.
City leaders spend a lot of time talking about conservation, sustainability, and climate change, but they are failing in their stewardship of our city parks. Actual park management practices are irreparably harming habitat across our city. Encampments cause permanent soil destruction from impaction, excrement, and solid and hazardous waste. They are in direct opposition to the mission and rules of our parks. It is the Park Department's paramount responsibility to stand firmly for the park and against deleterious uses. We call on them to perform their stewardship.
This petition will be submitted to:
- Seattle Board of Park Commissioners
- Christopher Williams, Interim Superintendent
- Mayor Jenny Durkan
Please sign and share this petition. See additional information at Speak Out Seattle.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
May 20, 2018
April 24, 2018
Seeing this level of support confirms that so many of you share my heartbreak over the state of our local greenspaces. We are clearly building enough momentum to force the city to finally acknowledge that our parks are meant for everyone to enjoy safely.
April 23, 2018
I have spent my mornings walking through the park paths I used to enjoy with my kids and the destruction is only getting worse. City officials keep pointing fingers at other departments while our green spaces continue to suffer from this ongoing neglect.
Reached 100 supporters
April 22, 2018
172 Comments
I am absolutely shocked that the city of Seattle is continuing to allow rampant camping in Discovery park, Ravenna Park & Greenlake. My husband & I are not able to walk & feel safe in many of the city parks. Why are you not taking action? Why are we paying property tax & sales tax ?
We take children to parks to play. Friends meet early in the AM to walk Green Lake. Single people have always felt free to hike the trails of Fort Lawton in the middle of the day. These are just some examples of citizens' expectations for clean, safe parks. Anything less is not acceptable.
It is not legal to camp in a Seattle city park. Please consistently and immedaitely enforce these laws when violations are discovered or reported. This is the law and keeps the parks clean, safe and healthy for all residents to use.
Protect our environment and the commitment we made to the community to keep Parks for all to enjoy. Enforce the rules for all. I used to adore walking my dog in the Carkeek woods trails and now I am scared to go there.
The protection and enjoyment of our parks depends on the consistent application of the law for every visitor. Illegal encampments in parks degrade both the environment there as well as the capacity of parks to be enjoyed by everyone.
This breaks my heart how this has been allowed to go on for so long and families cannot enjoy many parks in Seattle any more.
stop the insanity. I pay taxes for the parks but am afraid to go in them. enforce no camping!!!!!!
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
The city finally committed to restoring our green spaces and clearing the parks. Seeing my own neighborhood park restored to a safe place for families feels like a weight has been lifted. Thank you to the 590 of you who joined me in demanding that our public lands remain protected …
July 5, 2018
Final supporters
In response to widespread damage to the Seattle Parks system, we call on the Seattle Parks Department to fulfill their environmental stewardship by swiftly and fully applying the laws against encampments and other illegal uses in city parks.
Seattle Municipal Code 18.12.250 - Camping. It is unlawful to camp in any park except at places set aside and posted for such purposes by the Superintendent.(Ord. 106615 § 13, 1977.)
The Parks Department is authorized under Multi-Department Administrative Rules (MDARs) to immediately remove encampments in a city park and need to do so because:
- Encampments in our parks cause serious, long- term environmental damage.
- Encampments are inconsistent with the mission of the Parks Department to provide welcoming and safe recreational opportunities to the public.
- We expect the Parks Department and the City of Seattle to be consistent and committed ecological stewards of our parks for current and future generations.
- Rapid enforcement upholds the expectation that no encampments will be tolerated in any city park at any time. This reduces costs and improves the condition of our parks.
- It is a reasonable social, fiscal, and environmental policy to protect our parks from uses such as encampments. Applying these rules is good for people, parks and wildlife.
City leaders spend a lot of time talking about conservation, sustainability, and climate change, but they are failing in their stewardship of our city parks. Actual park management practices are irreparably harming habitat across our city. Encampments cause permanent soil destruction from impaction, excrement, and solid and hazardous waste. They are in direct opposition to the mission and rules of our parks. It is the Park Department's paramount responsibility to stand firmly for the park and against deleterious uses. We call on them to perform their stewardship.
This petition will be submitted to:
- Seattle Board of Park Commissioners
- Christopher Williams, Interim Superintendent
- Mayor Jenny Durkan
Please sign and share this petition. See additional information at Speak Out Seattle.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
May 20, 2018
April 24, 2018
Seeing this level of support confirms that so many of you share my heartbreak over the state of our local greenspaces. We are clearly building enough momentum to force the city to finally acknowledge that our parks are meant for everyone to enjoy safely.
April 23, 2018
I have spent my mornings walking through the park paths I used to enjoy with my kids and the destruction is only getting worse. City officials keep pointing fingers at other departments while our green spaces continue to suffer from this ongoing neglect.
Reached 100 supporters
April 22, 2018
172 Comments
We have lived near Carkeet park for 2 decades now. The condition of filth and encampment in the park has become intolerable - please enforce the law and not allow our treasured sanctuaries to become cess pools
I am absolutely shocked that the city of Seattle is continuing to allow rampant camping in Discovery park, Ravenna Park & Greenlake. My husband & I are not able to walk & feel safe in many of the city parks. Why are you not taking action? Why are we paying property tax & sales tax ?
We take children to parks to play. Friends meet early in the AM to walk Green Lake. Single people have always felt free to hike the trails of Fort Lawton in the middle of the day. These are just some examples of citizens' expectations for clean, safe parks. Anything less is not acceptable.
It is not legal to camp in a Seattle city park. Please consistently and immedaitely enforce these laws when violations are discovered or reported. This is the law and keeps the parks clean, safe and healthy for all residents to use.
Protect our environment and the commitment we made to the community to keep Parks for all to enjoy. Enforce the rules for all. I used to adore walking my dog in the Carkeek woods trails and now I am scared to go there.
The protection and enjoyment of our parks depends on the consistent application of the law for every visitor. Illegal encampments in parks degrade both the environment there as well as the capacity of parks to be enjoyed by everyone.
This breaks my heart how this has been allowed to go on for so long and families cannot enjoy many parks in Seattle any more.
stop the insanity. I pay taxes for the parks but am afraid to go in them. enforce no camping!!!!!!
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
We have lived near Carkeet park for 2 decades now. The condition of filth and encampment in the park has become intolerable - please enforce the law and not allow our treasured sanctuaries to become cess pools