Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 120139
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 501 Thames Street
APPLICANT: Mr. Michael Leber MWL Consulting Company 17 Whitwell Avenue Newport, RI 02840
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2013-02-21
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on January 8, 2013 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook, Vice Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Dias, Pearson, Walker, Jasparro, Jackson, Sylvester, Burlingame and Blackburn were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals Wayne Clark and Chris Mahoney of the Newport Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Sylvester to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed with Commissioner Walker abstaining from the vote.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of a September 4, 2012 inspection report compiled by the Newport Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Newport Fire Marshals Office during the January 8, 2013 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 4, 2012 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
	1-9.  The Board hereby grants the Applicants request to voluntarily reduce the maximum occupant load of this facility to one hundred forty-nine (149) people.  In granting this variance, it is the understanding of the Board that the Newport Fire Marshals Office has no objection.  The Board further grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in which to submit a comprehensive plan of action for the correction of any remaining deficiencies as outlined in items 1 through 9 of the September 4, 2012 inspection report.  The Board 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 Newport Fire Marshals Office.  Finally, the Board hereby authorizes the Newport Fire Marshals Office to extend either or both of the above timelines for good faith efforts being demonstrated by the Applicant.

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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