Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 060912
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 25 Mechanic Street, Woonsocket, RI
APPLICANT: Mr. Donald Cournoyer 7 Deer Hill Drive Smithfield, RI 02917
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2009-09-24
The above-captioned case was most scheduled for hearing on June 16, 2009 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time Acting Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Richard, Preiss, Blackburn, Jackson, Pearson, Walker, Dias and Filippi were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals Francis Dunton and Michael Morin of the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Jackson to 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 August 30, 2006 inspection report compiled by the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office during the June 16, 2009 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the August 30, 2006 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.  The term approved, as used herein, shall be understood to mean in accordance with the specific provisions related to the particular subject as are contained in the State Fire Code, or as approved in particular by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (the State Fire Marshal, his or her designated Deputy State Fire Marshals and/or Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals).

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1.  During the June 16, 2009 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that deficiency 1 was moot and that the space originally identified as potential space for a tire company is currently empty and utilized only for storage.
	2-8.  The Board hereby grants a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in which to develop plans for the correction of deficiencies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshal's office.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant an additional 120 days in which to implement the above plans at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket 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 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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