Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 050346
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 76 Main Street, North Kingstown, RI
APPLICANT: St. Paul's Church 55 Main Street North Kingstown, RI 02852
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2008-03-14
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on October 30, 2007 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Filippi, Blackburn, Jasparro, Jackson, Walker and Richard were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Gordon Walsh of the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Vice Chairman Newbrook and seconded by Commissioner Blackburn 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 October 30, 2007 inspection report compiled by the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office during the October 30, 2007 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the October 30, 2007 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.  It is the understanding of the Board that the North Kingstown and State Fire Marshal's office have determined that deficiency 1 is not a deficiency as the nursery school does not appear to be below the level of exit discharge.
	2.  During the October 30, 2007 hearing, the Board was advised that this facility maintains three (3) exits out of the school and is provided with a new addressable fire alarm system and many other fire safeguards.  The issue before the Board was accessing the windows for rescue.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of sixty (60) days from the date of this decision in order to provide a single platform and stair in each class in order to make the rescue windows accessible by the occupants.  The platforms would be limited only to those daycare classrooms.  In light of the above, it is the understanding of the Board that the North Kingstown Fire Marshal's office has no objection.
	3-6.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 3, 4, 5 and 6 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Kingstown 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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