Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 090189
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 73 Branch Pike
APPLICANT: Mr. Chris Suchmann c/o Groden Center 86 Mount Hope Avenue Providence, RI 02906
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, Dias and Walker were present.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Christine Kent of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Richard and seconded by Commissioner Jackson 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 June 24, 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 January 29, 2010 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the June 24, 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.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 1 by providing smoke detection in the vicinity of the fire alarm panel
	2.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 2 by providing the cited pull stations in the living room and basement areas of this facility. 
	3.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 13.8.10.4.1.3 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the cited dual action pull station approximately 56  inches from the finished floor level to the activating handle or lever.  In granting this variance, it is the understanding of the Board that the State Fire Marshal's office has no objection due to the existing wall construction.  The Board notes that this variance addresses the pull stations in the kitchen and a sleeping room of this facility.
	4.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 4 by providing the cited heat detection.
	5.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 7.2.2 and table 7.2.2.2.1(b) in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing cited headroom clearance of seventy-three inches at the interior stairway which leads to the lower level basement area of this facility.

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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