Covert Canyon

COVERT CANYON SHOOTING SITE IN ALPINE IS IN DEFAULT ON PAYMENTS

 

By Miriam Raftery

November 20, 2017 (Alpine) – Covert Canyon, a controversial firearms training facility long utilized by military and law enforcement as well as private gun enthusiasts, faces potential foreclosure.  CBS 8 reports that a notice of default was filed against owner Marc Halcon on October 26th.  If he does not pay $40,000 within 90 days, the property can be foreclosed on and sold at auction.


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COUNTY HALTS COVERT CANYON COMMERCIAL FIREARMS TRAINING TEMPORARILY

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2016 (Alpine) – The County has temporarily shut down paid military-style firearms training at Covert Canyon in Alpine because the owner missed a January 25 deadline for brush removal to prevent fires and obtain required permits , the San Diego Union Tribune  reports.

The article indicates owner Marc Halcon must close commercial operations for now, including paid training of military and governmental security forces, but can continue to have recreational shooting at the site.


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COVERT CANYON OPPONENTS APPEAL TO SUPERVISORS

 

"Arguably, the County will now be required to allow any such property owner to conduct commercial firearms training on an interim basis so long as a permit application is eventually submitted." -- Marco Gonzalez

By Miriam Raftery

December 23, 2015 (Alpine) –Attorney Marco Gonzalez has filed an appeal with County Supervisors on behalf of environmental groups and neighbors of Covert Canyon in Alpine. If the Planning Director's decision stands, he argues, it would set a precendent that could subject residents across vast areas of the County  to neighbors opening up similar commercial shooting ranges.

The appeal contends that it was illegal for the Planning Director to issue an order reclassifying the zoning ordinance defintion of “law enforcement” to include military and law enforcement firearms training at Covert Canyon, a mountain meadow surrounded by Cleveland National Forest, without reveiw under the California Environmental Quality (CEQA) Act. 


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COVERT CANYON APPEAL FILED; OWNER MARC HALCON SPEAKS OUT AS CONTROVERSY HEATS UP

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planning Commission to hear appeal Friday;  ECM tours site; environmentalists threaten lawsuit

By Miriam Raftery

December 10,2015 (Alpine)—An appeal filed yesterday on behalf of three environmental groups and neighbors of Covert Canyon will be heard by the County Planning Commission tomorrow at 9 a.m.  If the appeal is denied,  a letter signed by appellants’ attorney Marco Gonzalez states, “the Environmental groups and Appellants intend to file suit and seek injunctive relief before the matter is heard by the Board of Supervisors.”  

In addition to Clark and Robin Williams, the closest neighbors, Gonzalez' letter states he is representing the Cleveland National Forest Foundation, Save Our Forests and Ranchlands, and Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation.

A staff report recommends denying the appeal and upholding the Planning Director’s decision to reclassify the use of the property as law enforcement. 


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COUNTY TO ALLOW APPEALS ON COVERT CANYON, SETS DECEMBER 11 HEARING

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: U.S. Army marksmanship training

November 19, 2015 (Alpine) –The County Planning Commission last week voted to allow two additional appeals of an interim permit issued by the planning director for Covert Canyon to operate firearms training for military, governmental and law enforcement. The groups have 10 days to file appeals. A December 11th hearing is set to hear all appeals.

The appeals requests were filed by Danielle Belliveau on behalf of 15 Alpine residents and from attorney Marco Gonzalez of Coast Law Group representing Cleveland National Forest Foundation, Save Our Forests and Ranchlands, and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation.  Those requests were in addition to a previously accepted appeal filed by neighbors Clark and Robin Williams, who live within 300 feet of Covert Canyon. (See ECM ‘s previous article on the appeals and on the County’s interim approval of a stipulated administrative enforcement order. )


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COVERT CANYON APPEAL REQUESTS TO BE HEARD FRIDAY BY PLANNING COMMISSION

 

By Miriam Raftery

November 11, 2015 (Alpine)—An appeal by neighbors and two additional requests for permission to file appeals to the County’s stipulated administrative enforcement order authorizing Covert Canyon to conduct firearms training for military, government and law enforcement at its Alpine property.  The requests for appeals will be heard as item 5 on the Planning Commission agenda Friday, November 13.

The formal appeal was filed on behalf of Clark F. and Robin Williams, neighbors with property adjacent to Covert Canyon.  View the Williams appeal (parts 1, 2, 3)  The requests for permission to file appeals came from Danielle Belliveau on behalf of 15 Alpine residents and from attorney Marco Gonzalez representing Cleveland National Forest Foundation, Save Our Forests and Ranchlands, and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation.


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COUNTY GRANTS TENTATIVE APPROVAL TO COVERT CANYON FOR MILITARY FIREARMS TRAINING; PUBLIC HAS UNTIL NOV. 6 TO APPEAL

 

East County News Service

October 31, 2015 (Alpine) – The County’s Planning & Development Services department has issued a Stipulated Administrative Enforcement Order (SAEO) allowing the  owner of the controversial Covert Canyon LLC site in rural Alpine to conduct government military and law enforcement firearms training on an interim basis while pursuing a discretionary permit.

The order is a written decision by the director that may be appealed if a request for appeal is filed within 10 days of the decision date. Any appeal must be received by the department before November 5 at 5 p.m.


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NATIONAL PETITION SEEKS TO STOP MAIMING, CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IN MILITARY MEDICS’ TRAINING

 By Miriam Raftery

May 5, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – In March, ECM reported on military medic training at Covert Canyon in Alpine that reportedly includes maiming and shooting of live pigs.  Now Change.org has launched a petition to stop use of live animals in military medical training.


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COVERT CANYON FIRES BACK ON ECM REPORT OF PIG SHOOTINGS

 ECM stands by our story-and offers additional details. 

By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A representative of Covert Canyon and Marc Halcon has contacted East County Magazine to contend that our March 5, 2012 article titled “Residents react to news of pig killings at military site in Alpine” contained “false, defamatory statements.” 

Our editor, publisher and attorney have carefully reviewed this claim. Our story was researched thoroughly, fully vetted, and we stand by our story, with the following clarifications of details.


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RESIDENTS REACT TO NEWS OF PIG KILLINGS AT MILITARY TRAINING SITE IN ALPINE

Editor's note:  A representative of Marc Halcon and Covert Canyon has objected to several points this story. We stand by our story with addtional clarifications and details. Read our full response here:   http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/9220

By Miriam Raftery


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