Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 090378
LOCATION OF PREMISES: Gray Coach Lane
APPLICANT: Western Cranston Green Realty, LLC c/o Taft & McSally LLP 21 Garden City Crive Cranston, RI 02920
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Apartment
DATE OF DECISION: 2010-04-29
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on December 8, 2009 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Preiss, Jasparro, Richard, Dias and Filippi were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Glenn Bathgate of the Cranston Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Dias and seconded by Commissioner Richard and Vice Chairman Newbrook to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	During the December 8, 2009 hearing on this matter, the Board had before it a November 23, 2009 letter from Hughes Associates, Inc. which both outlined the factual background of this case and further provided the engineering rationale for the requested relief.  The November 23, 2009 Hughes Associates, Inc. letter was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Cranston Fire Marshals Office during the December 8, 2009 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the November 23, 2009 Hughes Associates, Inc. letter 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.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of RIUFC section H.5.2 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the minimum fire flow and residual pressure as outlined in the November 23, 2009 engineering report submitted to the Board and the Cranston Fire Marshal's office.  In granting this relief, it is the understanding of the Board that the Cranston Fire Marshal's office has no objection.  It is the further understanding of the Board that the subject facilities serviced by the fire hydrants shall be fully sprinklered and that an approved FDC shall be provided on the valve house at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Cranston Fire Marshal's office.

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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