The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on December 6, 2011 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook, Vice Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Richard, Burlingame, Sylvester, Jackson, Jasparro, Walker, Pearson and Dias were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals Traficante and Bobola of the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Sylvester and seconded by Vice Chairperson Filippi and 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 an April 14, 2010 inspection report compiled by the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office during the December 6, 2011 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the April 14, 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 the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in which to submit a plan of action for the installation of a fire alarm system in this facility to the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional 150 days in which to implement the above plan of action by installing an approved local fire alarm system at the direction and to the satisfaction of the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  Finally, the Board hereby authorizes the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office to extend either or both of the above timelines for good faith efforts being made by the Applicant.
	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 approved upgraded smoke detection devices along with hard wired carbon monoxide alarms installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office.
	3.  During the December 6, 2011 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that, due to the configuration of this building, it would be difficult to provide approved second means of egress from some of the apartment units.  The Board was further advised by the Applicant that they wish to explore the possibility of utilizing retractable ladders that are reportedly in common usage in certain cities in the State of California.  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to utilize the retractable ladders installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office as emergency means of egress from those units that currently do not have two (2) approved means of egress.  This variance is contingent upon the Applicants installation of an approved fire alarm system and smoke and carbon monoxide detection as outlined in items 1 and 2 above.
	4.  The Board directs the Applicant to correct deficiency 4 by providing this facility with approved portable fire extinguishers within the timelines outlined in item 1 above.
	5.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance as outlined in item 1 above in order to correct deficiency 5 by providing this facility with an approved key access box, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the West Warwick Fire Marshals 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)].