Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 140036
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 833 Armistice Boulevard
APPLICANT: Chris Crawley 250 Armistice Boulevard Pawtucket, RI 02860
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2014-05-05
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on May 6, 2014 before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, pursuant to RI General Laws Section 23-28.3-5.
	In attendance at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook, Vice-Chairperson Filippi and Commissioners Blackburn, Booth, Burlingame, Jackson, Richard, and Thornton.
Department of Administration Deputy Chief Legal Counsel Peter N. Dennehy.

AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Robert Thurber of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.

APPLICANT: Chris Crawley and Attorney Stephen Schonhoff.

TRAVEL OF THE CASE

1.	This is an Application for Variance filed under Chapter 23-28.3, entitled the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, and the Administrative Regulations promulgated thereunder.
2.	The Application was filed by Chris Crawley (Applicant) of 250 Armistice Boulevard, Pawtucket, RI on [undated].
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File 140036 opened on April 2, 2014.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on May 6, 2014 at 1:00 PM before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review.
5.	After all evidence was presented at the hearing, a motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Booth to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on an 8 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal 140036 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application 140036 dated [undated] and filed on April 2, 2014.
2.	Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated February 3, 2013.
3.	Letter sent by ADSFM Robert Thurber of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office dated [undated].

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the May 6, 2014 hearing as exhibits:

1.	Applicants 1  Plan of Action.

FINDINGS OF FACT

	Based on the testimony and evidence introduced at the hearing and a review of the administrative file, the Board makes the following Finding of Fact:

1.	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of the February 3, 2014 inspection report compiled by the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office during the May 6, 2014 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the February 3, 2014 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.
2.	The building is an existing 1-story assembly occupancy (special amusement building) used on a seasonal basis.
3.	The building is of wood construction and is not provided with domestic water service, sprinkler protection or fire alarm protection.
4.	The exit doors of the facility are secured in the open position whenever the facility is occupied.
5.	There is no objection by the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
DETERMINATIONS ON VARIANCE REQUESTS

1.	The Board grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of NFPA 101 (2012) section 13.3.4.4 by developing and submitting a plan of action for the installation of an approved fire alarm system within this facility.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional one hundred fifty (150) days in order to implement the above plan of action, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.
2.	The Board grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of NFPA 101 (2012) section 13.4.7.7.1 by installing approved exit signage, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.
3.	The Board grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of NFPA 101 (2012) section 13.2.8 by installing approved emergency lighting, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.
4.	The Board grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of NFPA 1 (2012) section 18.2.2.1 by installing an approved key access box, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.
5.	The Board grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of NFPA 101 (2012) section 7.2.1.7.1 requiring panic hardware on exit doors.  The Board further directs the Applicant to ensure that all exit doors of the facility are secured in the open position during hours of operation, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.
6.	The Board grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of NFPA 101 (2012) section 13.4.7.2 requiring an automatic sprinkler system based upon the limited seasonal use of the facility and the lack of an available water supply.
7.	The Board grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of NFPA 101 (2012) section 13.3.4.3.8 by interfacing the new fire alarm system with the building audio and visual systems, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.

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).

Finally, the Board hereby authorizes the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office to extend the above timeline for good faith efforts being demonstrated by the applicant.

STATUS OF DECISION AND APPEAL RIGHTS

1.	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).
2.	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).
3.	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).
4.	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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