Panel Members Criticize Access at New Theater

Two members of the Los Angeles Commission on Disability have called for an investigation of the newly built, $14-million multiplex theater in Woodland Hills alleging that it fails to meet state and federal laws on wheelchair accessibility.

Although the AMC theater was designed to provide a state-of-the-art moviegoing experience, commission members Kirk Kilgour and Norma Vescovo said Friday that the design ignores the needs of wheelchair users.

They said outside doors and bathrooms are not designed for wheelchair users and they criticized the theater owners for only providing wheelchair seating in the front row or in the back of the theater, where they say most of the screen is blocked by high-backed airline-type seats.

“It’s totally unaccessible,” said Kilgour, a wheelchair user who saw the movie “Twister” at the multiplex. “You have seating but it’s like they are saying, ‘Get to the back of the bus.’ ”

Kilgour and Vescovo said they have called on city inspectors to determine whether the seating and other problems violate state accessibility laws and the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, which is enforced by the Justice Department.

The commission has scheduled a July 10 meeting to discuss the theater and receive a report from city inspectors on whether it meets state and federal laws.

But in a written statement, a spokeswoman for AMC said the facility meets city building codes pertaining to disabled access. She said the building plans were approved by the city’s Building and Safety Department.

“AMC is committed to making the moviegoing experience as enjoyable as possible for all our customers, which is why we have relied on the city of Los Angeles Building and Safety Department’s approval to ensure code compliance,” said Nora Dashwood, the vice president for AMC’s west division operations.

In response to the accusations, Ron Shigeta, a Building and Safety plan check supervisor, said his department plans to inspect the theater next week and check its blueprints to ensure that it does comply with the laws.

He said his department does not have the jurisdiction to enforce the Americans With Disabilities Act but can enforce state accessibility laws, which are similar. If the theater is in violation of state laws, Shigeta said his department can cite the owners and force them to modify the building.

The theater opened in March with much fanfare and praise over the amenities it provides moviegoers.

The 16-screen complex at the Promenade Mall on Topanga Canyon Boulevard has airline-style chairs, stadium-like seating, digital sound, wall-to-wall curved screens, three concession stands with 26 stations, and customer services such as a phone-ahead reservation system and eight ticket booths.

It also provides elevators to each upper-level theater.

But Kilgour and Vescovo said the theater was not designed to accommodate the moviegoer who happens to use a wheelchair.

They said most people who pay up to $8 to see a movie would not sit still for seating in the front row or in the back where the view is blocked.

“Smack in front of the screen they took out four seats for wheelchairs,” said Vescovo, who is also executive director for the Independent Living Center. “Who wants to sit up there?”

An AMC spokeswoman, however, said the front row is set back from the screen farther than in most other theaters.

Kilgour and Vescovo also said the areas set aside for wheelchairs are not next to seats for able-bodied customers, making it impossible for wheelchair users to sit next to friends and family.

“If you’re going to a brand-new theater, you should expect a seat where you can sit next to someone,” Vescovo said.

“It does not meet the real essence of the law that says you are allowed to have seats at different levels. To me it doesn’t really offer seating for the disabled,” she said.

Also, Kilgour said the sinks in the restroom are not low enough to accommodate wheelchair-users and the front doors are too heavy to open from a wheelchair.

“A lot of the things they’ve done are great,” he said. “Our thing is to make them understand what they have to do to make it better.”