Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 050101
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 939 Douglas Avenue, Providence, RI
APPLICANT: Edward D. Feldstein, Chairman The Key Program 10 Weybosset Street, 8th Floor Providence, RI 02903
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Residential Board and Care
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-07-27
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on July 11, 2006 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Burlingame and Commissioners Blackburn, Newbrook, Preiss, Pearson, Filippi and OConnell were present.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Cynthia Dehler of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Filippi 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 a January 4, 2005 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 July 11, 2006 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the January 4, 2005 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, 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 State Fire Marshal or his or her designee.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1.  The Board hereby reaffirms a prior variance granted in order to allow the stairway from the basement to not maintain a landing at the top of the stairs.  Specifically, the Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 33.2.2.6 and sections 7.2.2.3.2.1 and 7.2.2.3.2.5 in order to allow the Applicant not to maintain a landing at the top of the basement stairs.
	2.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 33.3.3.5.1 in order to allow the Applicant to sprinkler this facility with either an NFPA 13R or NFPA 13D sprinkler system installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.  The Board hereby directs the Applicant to submit plans to the State Fire Marshal's office within sixty (60) days of the date of this decision.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of 120 days from the approval of the above plans to install the system at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.  In the event that the Department of Children, Youth and Families develops a master plan for the sprinklering of their licensed facilities, with different deadlines, the Board shall allow the Applicant to re-open this file to request coverage under the DCYF plan.

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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