THOUSAND OAKS : Arts Plaza’s Access for Disabled Probed

Federal civil rights investigators are looking into whether the $64-million Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks meets all of the requirements mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act, officials said Tuesday.

Barry Branagan, director of the city’s Building and Safety Department, said he already has mailed to Washington a set of plans for the performing arts and government complex.

Federal agents “wanted us to ship a set of plans,” said Branagan, who said the complex meets all applicable standards. “Then if there’s a problem, they may do an on-site inspection.”

The inquiry is being conducted by investigators from the U.S. Office of the Attorney General, which is responsible for following up complaints about alleged violations of the federal law requiring access for disabled people to all public buildings.

The investigation was launched after former City Council candidate John Ellis, a longtime critic of the Thousand Oaks government, lodged complaints that the Civic Arts Plaza does not meet federal standards.

“Virtually everything in the book is a violation,” said Ellis, who finished fourth out of six candidates in a June special election for a City Council seat. “They’re not even making reasonable efforts to update.”

But Branagan and other top city officials say the complaint is unwarranted. Several specific complaints lodged by Ellis, including a claim that there is no curb-cut outside City hall, are simply not true, Branagan said.

“Mr. Ellis has never been satisfied with anything that the city has ever done,” City Atty. Mark G. Sellers said. “No matter how much we do for him regarding handicapped accessibility, he just doesn’t seem to be satisfied.”