The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on December 1, 2009 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Dias, Jasparro, Preiss, Blackburn, Pearson, Filippi and Walker were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Raymond Lopes of the Newport Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Jasparro to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed over the opposition vote of Commissioner Preiss.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with both those of a September 12, 2007 inspection report compiled by the Newport Fire Marshals Office and a January 30, 2008 plan of action submitted by the Applicant.  The above reports were utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Newport Fire Marshals Office during the December 1, 2009 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 12, 2007 inspection report and the January 30, 2008 plan of action 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 or her designee.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1-4.  It is the understanding of the Board that deficiencies 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been corrected by the Applicant.
	5.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 31.1.1.3.10 in order to allow the Applicant to treat the cited apartment doors with an approved intumescent paint to give those doors a rating of approximately twenty (20) minutes or better, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Newport Fire Marshal's office.  The Board notes that the Newport Fire Marshal's office has no objection provided that the Applicant paints both sides of the doors with the intumescent paint.
	6-7.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 6 and 7.
	8.  The Board notes that deficiency 8 was not cited as part of the fifteen-point plan for apartments.  However, the Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of RIUFC section 11.1.2 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain this existing condition under the fire code.  The above relief is conditioned upon the Applicant referring this matter to the Newport Electrical Inspector for an appraisal.

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)].