Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 100131
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 41 Ford Lane
APPLICANT: Mr. John Sousa 41 Ford Lane Warwick, RI 02888
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Industrial
DATE OF DECISION: 2013-01-31
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on August 28, 2012 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook, Vice Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Dias, Pearson, Jasparro, Jackson, Sylvester, Burlingame, Blackburn and Richard were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Peter Marietti of the Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Burlingame and seconded by Commissioner Richard 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 March 19, 2010 inspection report compiled by the Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Warwick Fire Marshals Office during the August 28, 2012 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the March 19, 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 Authority Having Jurisdiction (State Fire Marshal, his or her designated Deputy State Fire Marshals and/or Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals).

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS
	1.  During the August 28, 2012 hearing on this matter, it was determined that this facility should be supplied with an approved local fire alarm system as opposed to a municipal fire alarm system.  Accordingly, 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 to the Warwick Fire Marshals Office or designee.  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 Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  Finally, the Board notes that the Warwick Fire Marshals Office shall have the authority to extend either or both of the above timelines for good faith efforts being shown by the Applicant.
	2.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 2 by providing this facility with an approved fire department access box.
	3.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 3 by providing this facility with the requested additional emergency lighting and exit signage.
	4.  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the cited clearance of the storage platform located above the office space.  This variance is granted on the basis of structural hardship and in light of the incidental storage usage of the area.

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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