We, the undersigned residents and supporters of the Matthew's Beach community, respectfully request that Seattle Parks & Recreation partner with our neighborhood to develop a long-term management plan for the Matthew's Beach Overflow Parking Lot at NE 95th Street and Sand Point Way NE.

This lot sits in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Its purpose is overflow parking for Matthew's Beach Park, which it serves roughly 4 to 6 times per year. The rest of the time it sits empty and unmanaged, attracting illegal encampments, dumping, junk vehicle storage, and other unauthorized activity that makes the surrounding area unsafe for the families who live here.

This has been going on for well over a year. The problems keep coming back despite repeated reporting and temporary cleanups. Our neighborhood has worked with Seattle Parks, SDCI, SPD, and City Council to try to resolve this. We appreciate those efforts, but temporary fixes are not working. It is time to work together on something permanent.

Our Three Requests

1. Meet with neighborhood representatives. We're asking the Parks Department to meet with community members to better understand the recurring issues at the Matthews Beach Overflow Parking Lot and work collaboratively toward a durable, long-term management plan.

2. Develop a long-term management strategy with community input.  A plan that prevents recurring illegal dumping, junk vehicle storage, encampments, and other unauthorized uses while preserving the lot's intended recreational purpose.

3. Implement appropriate long-term improvements. Including seasonal closure, fencing with managed access (similar to Lake City Park, 12363 Lake City Way NE), gates, boulders, or other design solutions that eliminate unauthorized use while maintaining public access.

Why This Matters

• Improve public safety for residents and those accessing Matthew's Beach Park.
• Improve safety at the intersection of NE 95th Street and Sand Point Way NE accessing public transit. 
• Reduce recurring illegal dumping, junk vehicle storage, and encampments.
• Reduce ongoing cleanup and enforcement costs.
• Protect Matthew's Beach Park overflow lot for its intended recreational use.