Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 080126
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 30 Elmwood Drive
APPLICANT: Arc of Blackstone Valley 115 Manton Street Pawtucket, RI 02861
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Boarding Homes
DATE OF DECISION: 2010-07-16
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on June 29, 2010 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Blackburn, Richard, Jackson, Preiss, Filippi and Dias were present.  Commissioner Walker recused himself from consideration of this case.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Christine Kent of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Dias to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond in sequence with those of a May 4, 2010 inspection report compiled by the State Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the State Fire Marshals Office during the June 29, 2010 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the May 4, 2010 inspection 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 or her designee.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1.  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing cited headroom of the interior stairway to the lower level basement area of this facility.  In addition, during the hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that there were winding stairs within this facility and that the State Fire Marshal's office had no objection to a variance being granted for the existing winding stairs based on structural hardship.  Accordingly, the Board hereby also grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing winding stairs within this facility.  The Board notes that this relief is based on structural hardship and the absence of an objection by the State Fire Marshal's office.
	2.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 2 by providing the lower basement level of this facility with approved smoke detection.
	3.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 3 by providing the small common corridor/hallway area off of the storage room with approved smoke detection.

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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