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 Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal John Horan of the North Providence 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 October 15, 2009 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 March 20, 2012 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the October 15, 2009 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 local fire alarm system in this facility to the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional 120 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 either or both of the above deadlines for good faith efforts being shown 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 an approved key access box.
	3.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of fifteen (15) days from the date of this decision in which to have the cited portable fire extinguishers re-inspected and certified.
	4.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to correct deficiency 4 by providing this facility with approved exit signage.
	5.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to provide this facility with approved emergency lighting.
	6-7.  During the March 20, 2012 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the Applicant has substantially limited the storage within the basement of this facility.  Specifically, the Board was advised that the remaining items in the basement consisted of only a few racks for clothing, one (1) embroidery machine and one (1) t-shirt heat press.  In light of the above, the Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to provide a 1 3/4 inch solid core wood door in the existing door jambs of the stairwell servicing the basement of this facility rather than providing a full fire door and assembly.  The Board would further allow the doors to swing opposite to the direction of egress travel, as the original doors did, based upon the limited personnel in this basement area.  Finally, the Board grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing separation between the basement storage area and the first floor mercantile area based upon the above described limited storage within the basement.  The Board notes that if the Applicant wishes to expand the storage occupancy of the basement in the future, he must first separate the occupancies at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office before proceeding.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to make the above corrections.

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)].