Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
(401) 889-5551 phone
(401) 889-5279 fax
711 TTY
FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
560 Jefferson Boulevard
Suite 202
Warwick, RI 02886
DECISION
FILE NO.: 140063
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 56 Exchange Terrace
APPLICANT: 56 Exchange Terrace Associates, LP c/o Attorney John M. Boehnert, LTD 50 South Main Street Providence, RI 02903
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Business
DATE OF DECISION: 2014-07-17
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on July 8, 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: Acting Chairman Jackson and Commissioners Booth, Sylvester, Thornton and Walker.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: W. Keith Burlingame, Esq.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Keith Maine of the Providence Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Attorney John Boehnert and Christopher Marsella.
TRAVEL OF THE CASE
&8195;

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 John M. Boehnert (attorney) of 50 South Main Street, Providence, RI dated May 21, 2014.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  140063 opened on May 23, 2014.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on July 8, 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 Thornton and seconded by Commissioner Sylvester to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 5 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  140063 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  140063 dated May 21, 2014 and filed on May 23, 2014.
2.	Providence Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated April 16, 2014.
3.	Letter sent by Attorney John M. Boehnert with Attachment A to the Board dated May 21, 2014.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the July 8, 2014 hearing as exhibits:

1.	None.

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 April 16, 2014 inspection report compiled by the Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Providence Fire Marshals Office during the July 8, 2014 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the April 16, 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 5-story business occupancy.
3.	The building is of Type II (000) construction and is provided with sprinkler protection and has a fire alarm system with emergency forces notification.
4.	There is no objection by the Providence 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 ninety (90) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 9.4.3.2 by providing for the installation of an approved fire alarm system interface for elevator Fire Fighters Emergency Operations requirements within this facility, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence Fire Marshals Office.
2.	The Board grants the Applicant a time variance of nine (9) months from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 9.2.4.5 by installing an approved fire alarm system interface for HVAC shutdown requirements within this facility, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence Fire Marshals Office.
3.	The Board grants the Applicant a time variance of forty-five (45) days for all occupied spaces and nine (9) months for all presently unoccupied spaces to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 9.6.2.2.1 by replacing the existing manual fire alarm boxes with approved manual fire alarm boxes keyed alike to the fire alarm control unit, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence Fire Marshals Office.
4.	The Board grants the Applicant a time variance of forty-five (45) days for all occupied spaces and nine (9) months for all presently unoccupied spaces to comply with the provisions of RIFAC section 10-1-1 and NFPA 72 (2010) section 18.4.2.1 by installing approved notification appliances throughout all occupied spaces of the facility, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence 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 Providence 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)].
rhode island coat of arms A Rhode Island Government Web site