Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 130011
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 7 Continental Street
APPLICANT: Ms. Ann SMith 353 South US Highway 1 Jupiter, FL 33477
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Apartment
DATE OF DECISION: 2013-03-28
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on March 12, 2013 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook, Vice Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Dias, Pearson, Walker, Sylvester and Blackburn were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal James Given of the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn 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 a December 6, 2012 inspection report compiled by the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office during the March 12, 2013 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the December 6, 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
	1-8.  (12-194-VN, 12-195-VN, 12-196-VN, 12-197-VN, 12-198-VN, 12-199-VN, 12-200-VN and 12-193-VN).  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in which to develop and submit a plan of action to the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office for the correction of deficiencies 1 through 8.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional 150 days in order to implement the above plan of action by correcting deficiencies 1 through 8 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office.  As a condition of this variance, the Board directs the Applicant to provide each of the apartment units of this complex with approved temporary battery-powered smoke detectors installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office within fourteen (14) days of the March 12, 2013 hearing date.  
	Finally, the Board notes that the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office shall have the authority to extend any 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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