Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 100148
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 909 Boston Neck Road
APPLICANT: Hames Associates P.O. Box 361 Narragansett, RI 02882
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2010-10-26
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on August 10, 2010 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Richard, Pearson, Jackson, Preiss, Dias and Jasparro were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Mark Wood of the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Richard and 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 May 17, 2010 inspection report compiled by the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office during the August 10, 2010 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the May 17, 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 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Narragansett Fire Marshal's office.
	2-4.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of sixty (60) days from the date of this decision in which to correct deficiencies 2, 3 and 4 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Narragansett Fire Marshal's office.
	5.  During the August 10, 2010 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the subject facility maintains between fifty-four (54) and fifty-five (55) people and has a single approved means of egress through an approved three-foot (3') door.  The Board was further advised that the facility is fully sprinklered and alarmed and that providing a second door within this facility would subject the Applicant to structural hardship.  In light of the above, the Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of sections 13.2.4.2, 13.2.5.2 and 13.3.2 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing single means of egress configuration within this facility.  In granting this variance, it is the understanding of the Board that the Narragansett Fire Marshal's office has no objection due to structural hardship and the fact that this facility is fully sprinklered and fully protected by an approved fire alarm system.

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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