LA HABRA HEIGHTS >> Matrix Oil Co.’s proposal to drill for oil on an 18-acre parcel owned by Southern California Gas Co. is beginning to draw opposition.

More than 70 people — many of them opposed to the oil-drilling plan — attended Thursday’s City Council meeting although the item wasn’t on the agenda.

The crowd was so large about half were required to stand outside because there wasn’t enough room in the City Council chambers. The room under use isn’t the regular meeting place because City Hall is under construction.

Residents complained the oil plan would change rural La Habra Heights.

“This is a radical plan that would create 30 wells,” said resident Enrique Ochoa. “If they go in, they will disrupt life in the Heights and change the character of the city.”

Joe Paquette, vice president of operations for Santa Barbara-based Matrix, said oil drilling is nothing new in La Habra Heights.

“Oil operating has been ongoing in La Habra Heights since before the city was established and probably for a century,” Paquette said.

“In fact, this site is an existing oil and gas property operated as an oil field by Southern California Gas Co. for decades,” he said of the property at 2490 Las Palomas Drive. “This project is just a reinitiation of that oil field.” Mayor Brian Bergman said he’s glad the residents came out to talk about the project.

“What we want to do is get all of the community input,” Bergman said. “They need to get involved in the entire process. They’ll have plenty of opportunity.”

The next step will be the preparation of an environmental impact report. It’s expected to be completed some time in the summer, said Mary Wright, a contract planner for the city.

City officials now are taking comments on what the EIR should consider in its analysis.

The deadline for comments was extended this week until June 9.

“We wanted to distribute (the notice) more broadly and include more information,” said Wright, on why the notice was revised and the deadline was extended. “People were saying they needed more time.”

The new notice now includes a map of the route that Matrix trucks would use to get to the oil-drilling site, Wright said.

Trucks would transport oil to a refinery and water to a disposal facility.

The route would take LeFlore Drive to Las Palomas Drive, south to West Road and then to Hacienda Road where trucks could go either north or south.

The use of trucks on local roads was a concern of many residents Thursday.

“I’m an animal person,” said resident Sandy Dykier. “I walk my dogs up and down Las Palomas. I don’t want to deal with (the trucks) on my streets.”

Resident Jollen Gibbs had similar concerns.

“We now will be dodging trucks on a daily basis,” Gibbs said. “The Matrix proposal is far too dangerous for our health to be allowed.”

Resident Steve Cortez said he believes oil drilling is too dangerous.

“Granting a conditional-use permit for extraction and storage puts not only the environment but the entire community in danger,” Cortez said. “We’ve seen time and time again on TV in other geographical areas that tapping into natural gas or getting oil brings man-made disasters.”

Paquette said Matrix recognizes there will be more vehicles and is prepared to mitigate all the impacts.

He said the project is expected to generate three additional truck trips a day. However, the plan will be evaluated as if it was 10 additional trips a day, Paquette said.