Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 090111
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 35 Agnes Street
APPLICANT: Mr. Joseph Cuddigan Agnes Street LLC 35 Agnes Street East Providence, RI 02914
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2009-10-01
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on July 28, 2009 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Jackson, Richard, Preiss, Blackburn, Jasparro and Pearson were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals James Bellamy and Oscar Elmasian of the East Providence Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn and seconded by Vice Chairman Newbrook to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of a March 5, 2009 inspection report compiled by the East Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the East Providence Fire Marshals Office during the July 28, 2009 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the March 5, 2009 report as its initial findings of fact.  Any modification of the Boards findings, such as correction of a deficiency by the Applicant, shall be noted herein. 
	Any deficiency understood by the Board to have been corrected, which is not so corrected, shall be immediately corrected by the Applicant.  The term approved, as used herein, is understood to mean in accordance with the specific provisions related to the particular subject as are contained in this Code, or as approved in particular by the State Fire Marshal or his designee.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1-25.  During the July 28, 2009 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the Applicant originally planned to sell this facility and possibly build a hotel on this site.  While the above plans failed to materialize, the Applicant has advised that selling the facility remains an option.  However, in the event the building is not sold, the Applicant has advised that he needs time in order to correct the deficiencies within the report.  Accordingly, the Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in which to submit a plan of action to the East Providence Fire Marshal's office for the correction of all of the deficiencies in this facility.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional 120 days in which to implement the above plan at the direction and to the satisfaction of the East Providence Fire Marshal's office.  Alternatively, the Applicant may vacate this facility at a point in time prior to the expiration of the above 150 day period on the condition that the deficiencies in this facility shall be corrected before re-occupancy, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the East Providence Fire Marshal's office.  Finally, as a condition of the above relief, the Board directs the Applicant to advise any new owner of the facility of the existence of this decision and the fact that the facility must be brought into compliance prior to re-occupancy.

STATUS OF DECISION AND APPEAL RIGHTS
	This Decision represents a comprehensive, integrated plan of fire safety for the above-captioned facility under the above-cited use or occupancy.  Accordingly, every variance granted is conditioned upon the Applicants timely and continued compliance with all of the directives of the Board. Every variance granted is further conditioned upon the continued use or occupancy of this facility under the above-cited classification reviewed by the Board.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-17).
	Failure of the Applicant to initially comply with the full Decision of the Board, within the stated time frame, shall void all variances granted herein.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-18.)  In the event of complete, timely and continued compliance with the full Decision of the Board, the above cited variances shall be deemed to have vested in the above-captioned facility.  As long as this facility is in continued compliance with the full Decision of the Board, the above-cited variances shall remain with this facility in the absence of any change in use or occupancy mandating review under a separate classification of the Fire Code or a revision of the above-cited classification.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-19).  
Such changes in use or occupancy of this facility, or failure to continually comply with the Boards Decision shall void all variances granted under the above-cited use or occupancy.  If such change creates a new use or occupancy as outlined in R.I.G.L. 23-28.1-6, all variances granted under the original use or occupancy are void and this facility shall be reviewed under the newly created use or occupancy.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-20).
	The Applicant may appeal the Boards Decision, within thirty (30) days of the mailing date of this Decision, by commencing an action against the State Fire Marshal in the Sixth division of the District Court.  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [R.I.G.L. 42-35-15(c)].
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