Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 070383
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 51 Spring Street (Barn), Block Island
APPLICANT: Mr. Frank DiBiase 2010 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence, RI 02911
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Hotels and Motels
DATE OF DECISION: 2009-03-11
The above-captioned case was scheduled for subcommittee hearing on October 15, 2008 at 10:30 A.M. in the New Shoreham Town Hall complex.  At that time, Acting Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Dias, Blackburn and Walker were present.  Commissioner Filippi was present, but recused herself from consideration of this case and the other cases heard that day.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Cynthia Dehler of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Dias and seconded by Commissioner Walker to grant the applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous.
	The subcommittee recommendations made in the above captioned case were thereupon scheduled for review by the State Fire Board on October 21, 2008 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Blackburn, Preiss, Jackson, Walker, Pearson, Dias and Richard were present.  Commissioner Filippi recused herself from consideration of these cases.  Upon review of the subcommittee recommendations, a motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Vice Chairman Newbrook to approve the subcommittee recommendations and grant the Applicants relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of an October 6, 2008 inspection report compiled by the State Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the State Fire Marshals Office during the October 15, 2008 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the October 6, 2008 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.  

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 13.8.9.5.3.3 in order to allow the Applicant to connect the fire alarm system of this facility into the municipal panel located in the main building.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance until May 1, 2009 in order to provide the above connection at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	2.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance until May 1, 2009 in order to correct deficiency 2 by providing a single hard-wired CO detector within close proximity to the hot water heater of this facility at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.  The Board notes that this is the only carbon monoxide generating device within this facility.
	3.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 3 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	4.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 29.3.6.2 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing doors of this facility provided the Applicant equips these doors with approved self-closing devices and/or spring-loaded hinges installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office on or before May 1, 2009.
	5-9.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	10.  During the October 15, 2008 subcommittee hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the Applicant would correct deficiency 10 by sealing off the loft area of this facility and not occupying this area in the future.  The Board notes that in the event the Applicant subsequently wishes to occupy this area, he must first bring it into compliance with the code, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's 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 above approved subcommittee recommendations now have the status of a full Board Decision.  Pursuant to R.I.G.L. 23-28.3-5, if the Applicant is aggrieved by the approved subcommittee recommendations, the Applicant may appeal this Decision approving the subcommittee recommendations, within thirty (30) days of the mailing date below, by sending a request, to be heard before the entire Board, to the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal & Review, One Regan Court, Cranston, RI  02920.
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