Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 110238
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 212 Water Street
APPLICANT: F & D Management P.O. Box 1748 Block Island, Ri 02807
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2012-04-11
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on March 20, 2012 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Burlingame, Sylvester, Jackson, Walker, Pearson and Dias were present.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Cynthia Dehler of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Burlingame and seconded by Commissioner Sylvester 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 October 4, 2011 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 March 20, 2012 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the October 4, 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 
	1-13.  During the March 20, 2012 hearing on this matter, the Applicant advised the Board that all of the deficiencies with the exception of item 14 (11-2231-VN) were either corrected or would be corrected on or before April 15, 2012.  Accordingly, the Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance until April 15, 2012 in which to correct the deficiencies outlined in sequence as items 1 through 13 of the October 4, 2011 report.  The Board further notes that the April 15, 2012 deadline may be extended by the State Fire Marshals Office for good faith efforts being shown by the Applicant.
	14.  (11-2231-VN).  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing separation between the occupancies of this seasonal facility.  In granting this variance, the Board notes that the Applicant shall need to provide one hundred percent (100) fire alarm coverage on the level below the residential occupancies of this facility.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the timeline outlined above in order to make this correction.
	15.  (11-2036-VN).  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in items 1 through 13 above in order to correct deficiency 15 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State 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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