Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 070389
LOCATION OF PREMISES: Spring Street 1661 Inn, Block Island
APPLICANT: Mr. Steven Draper One Spring Street Block Island, RI 02807
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2009-03-11
The above-captioned case was originally 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 and the other cases heard that day.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal David Cionfolo of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Walker and seconded by Commissioners Blackburn and Dias to recommend to the full Board that the Applicant be granted the relief 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 this case.  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 Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of an October 7, 2008 inspection report, also identified as file 21-303, 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 7, 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 
	1-4.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 1 through 4 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	5.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of sections 29.2 and 7.2.2.2.1 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing sixty-eight inch head room clearance on the basement stairway of this facility.  This variance is granted on the basis of structural hardship in the absence of an objection by the State Fire Marshal's office.
	6-11.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	12.  (Main House Second Floor)  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 29.2.7 and 7.7.6 in order to allow the Applicant to provide an aluminum walkway across the roof as an emergency means of egress from the main house, second floor, of this facility.  The above walkway shall be further equipped with handrails and installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office on or before May 1, 2009.
	13.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance until May 1, 2009 in order to correct deficiency 13 by providing the above referenced aluminum walkway across the roof with continuous handrails, installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	14.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 14.
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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