Dear friends of the El Monte Valley, the trail at Hanson Pond is closed and here is the official confirmation from the land owner. I know you’ve heard from others the gate is open, but somebody unlocked it illegally. Enter at your own risk.
Last time I went to the SD County Board of Supervisors to raise the issue with Supervisor Dianne Jacob, she sent me to her assistant, Adam Wilson. Still didn’t hear back from him, but I will pursue this further and keep you all updated.
Our friend of the El Monte Valley, Carl Constantino, sent a inquiry to Michael Beck, the president of the Endangered Habitat League who owns the property at Hanson Pond regarding the multi-use trails that were paid by and designated for public use. Beck closed the trails and he just confirmed it, thus confirming the validity of our story and the warning you’d be entering Hanson Pond property at your own risk.
“No there is no access to the northern side of the pond. There is no dedicated trail easement, which creates liability responsibilities to the property owner. It is also a very sensitive species and habitat area. That area was opened illegally. The trail between El Monte Road and the San Diego River area is also without a legal trail easement over a portion of it. That was also opened illegally and the area without the trail easement (the northern end) again creates liability for the property owner.
Thank you for your understanding.
Michael Beck”
Hanson Pond is own by Endangered Habitat League led by Michael Beck who is also the chairman of the SD Planning Commission and partner with the sand miners who want to destroy El Monte Valley. He received public money and grants to build a multi-use trail at Hanson Pond. He also received $1 million from the county to give them the right of use for 33 acres specially designed for this trail. He received another million dollar to build a staging area he never even started. Beck refuses to open the trail and supervisor Jacob promised after a secret meeting with Beck and Robin Rierdan from the Lakeside River Park Conservancy to look into this issue. LRPC received a $3.2 million in grant money to restore Hanson Pond (former sand pit) and build the multi-use trail.
When Carl Constantino asked Robin Rierdan about this issue, the answer was “I don’t know what’s going on.”
Written by Ana Nita
Save El Monte Valley 
Shame on Beck and associates
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Mr. Beck, in his own words, admitted that the area is a very sensitive species and habitat area. So what exactly are they doing with all the heavy equipment down there, and how much land is he talking about that is sensitive?
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Exactly. Hanson Pond is in the El Monte Valley. Beck considers Hanson Pond sensitive habitat, but wants to mine the rest of the valley? It’s part of the same habitat.
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