Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 110225
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 1845 Smith Street
APPLICANT: Mr. Jeffrey Marwell 1845 Smith Street North Providence, Ri 02911
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Business
DATE OF DECISION: 2012-01-26
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on November 29, 2011 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook, Vice Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Richard, Blackburn, Burlingame, Sylvester, Jackson, Jasparro, Walker and Dias were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Gregory Unsworth of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Sylvester 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 September 26, 2011 inspection report compiled by the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the North Providence Fire Marshals Office during the November 29, 2911 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 26, 2011 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 
	1-4.  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 correction of the outstanding deficiencies within this facility.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional 150 days in order to implement the above plan of action at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.  Finally, the Board hereby authorizes the North Providence Fire Marshals Office to extend any of the above timelines for good faith efforts being shown by the Applicant, and directs the North Providence Fire Marshals Office to continue to monitor the progress within this facility.  Accordingly, the Board hereby directs the Applicant to correct deficiencies 1, 2, 3 and 4 within the above timelines, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The Board notes that in item 4 the Applicant is directed to provide protection and detection of the area utilized for storage under the main stair.
	5.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 5 and that the North Providence Fire Marshals Office will confirm this correction.
	6.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 6 and that the North Providence Fire Marshals Office will confirm this correction.
	7.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance as outlined in items 1-4 above in order to provide this facility with an approved key access box installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence 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)].
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