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.: 130113
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 398 Cowesett Road
APPLICANT: Mr. Donald E. Lapierre 1528 East Seattle Slew Circle Inverness, FL 34453
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Apartment
DATE OF DECISION: 2013-09-03
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on July 23, 2013 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Booth, Thornton, Jackson, Sylvester, Burlingame, Richard and Pearson were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Michael Matteson of the Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Sylvester 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 May 31, 2013 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 July 23, 2013 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the May 31, 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
	1-3.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 1, 2 and 3 as outlined on the May 31, 2013 inspection report.
	4.  During the July 23, 2013 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the Applicant would correct deficiency 4 by providing the facility with approved egress.  The Board was further advised that the Applicant may be providing an internal fire egress system which may require the Applicant to return to the Board for certain additional relief.  Accordingly, the Board shall hold September 10, 2013 open in the event the Applicant needs to return to address specific structural issues.
	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 4 by providing the facility with approved egress, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  The Board further 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 Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  In the event the Applicants plan requires additional structural relief, the Board asks that the parties notify it at least five (5) days before the scheduled September 10, 2013 hearing.

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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