Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 100279
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 170 Main Street
APPLICANT: Gardner's Wharf Holding Inc. P.O. Box 1585 North Kingstown, RI 02852
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mercantile
DATE OF DECISION: 2011-03-09
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on November 23, 2010 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Walker, Richard, Dias and Pearson were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Gordon Walsh of the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Walker 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 an August 16, 2010 inspection report compiled by the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office during the November 23, 2010 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the August 16, 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.  During the November 23, 2010 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the Applicant had previously submitted plans to the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office and had secured permits.  Accordingly, the Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of 120 days from the date of this decision in order to complete its correction of deficiency 1 by providing this facility with an approved local fire alarm system.  
2.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to correct deficiency 2 by providing this facility with an approved key access box.
3.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to correct deficiency 3 by providing this facility with an approved new door which would provide approved egress to the satisfaction of the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.
4.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to correct deficiency 4 by providing proper illumination to all means of egress within this facility.
5.  The Board hereby directs the Applicant to correct deficiency 5 within the time variance outlined in item 1 above, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office and to further send the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office the test reports from the company servicing this equipment.  Finally, the Board directs the Applicant to tie this equipment into the fire alarm system of this facility.
6.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 6.
7.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 7.

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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