Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 130019
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 1225 Mendon Road
APPLICANT: Mr. Jerry Podgurski 144 Pound Road Cumberland, RI 02864
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2013-04-25
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on April 2, 2013 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook, Vice Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Dias, Pearson, Sylvester, Burlingame, Blackburn and Richard were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Michael Feather of the Cumberland Fire District Fire Marshals Office along with Deputy State Fire Marshal Robert Couture of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Richard and seconded by Commissioner Dias to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed over the opposition vote of Commissioner Burlingame.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of a February 5, 2013 inspection report compiled by the Cumberland Fire District Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Cumberland Fire District Fire Marshals Office during the April 2, 2013 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the February 5, 2013 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.  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 for the correction of deficiency 1 by providing this facility with an approved fire alarm system, installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Cumberland Fire District Fire Marshals Office.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional 150 days in order to implement the above plan of action and install the system.  Finally, the Board notes that the Cumberland Fire District Fire Marshals Office may extend either or both of the above timelines for good faith efforts being demonstrated 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 the cited emergency lighting in the exit corridor near the restrooms of this facility. 
	3.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 3 by removing the temporary electrical wiring.
	4.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above in order to correct deficiency 4 by addressing the combustible materials in the basement areas of this facility, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Cumberland Fire District 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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