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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Warwick, RI 02886
DECISION
FILE NO.: 150012
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 2-4 Central Street, West Warwick, RI
APPLICANT: Erestina Casimiro 2-4 Central Street West Warwick, RI 02893
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Apartment
DATE OF DECISION: 2015-03-26
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on March 17, 2015 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-Chairman Blackburn and Commissioners Booth, Pearson, Sylvester and Thornton.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: W. Keith Burlingame, Esq.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal James Bobola of the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: David Pimental.
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 Ernestina Casimiro (owner) of 2-4 Central Street, West Warwick, RI dated January 23, 2015.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  150012 opened on January 23, 2015.
4.	The matter was initially before the Board on February 17, 2015 at which time a quorum was not present to hear the matter and the Applicant was directed to return on March 17, 2015 with a plan of action.
5.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on March 17, 2015 at 1:00 PM before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review.
6.	After all evidence was presented at the hearing, a motion was made by Commissioner Sylvester and seconded by Commissioner Booth to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 5 to 0 vote with Commissioner Thornton abstaining from the vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  150012 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  150012 dated January 23, 2015 and filed on January 23, 2015.
2.	West Warwick Fire Marshals Office Plan Review Report dated January 12, 2015.
3.	Letter of authorization for David Pimental from Ernestina Casmiro dated January 23, 2015
4.	Reschedule Notice dated March 4, 2015.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the March 17, 2015 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 January 12, 2015 plan review report compiled by the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the West Warwick Fire Marshals Office during the March 17, 2015 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the January 12, 2015 plan review 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 2-1/2-story three-family apartment occupancy.
3.	There is no objection by the West Warwick 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 RILSC section 25.2.1.2 and RIGL section 23-28.1-2(b)(2)(i) by installing hard wired or supervised interconnected UL approved wireless smoke alarms throughout the facility, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the West Warwick 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 West Warwick 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 6-2-22).
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 6-2-23.)  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 6-2-24).
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 6-2-25).
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.  (See: Board Rules and Regulations, section 6-2-18).  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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