Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 050545
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 16 Fraternity Circle, Kingston, RI
APPLICANT: Ms. Ann-Marie Fontaine 235 Nancy Lane Harrisville, RI 02830
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Hotels and Dormitories
DATE OF DECISION: 2005-11-16
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on September 27, 2005 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Burlingame, Richards, Blackburn, Newbrook, Preiss, Evans, Pearson, OConnell and Filippi were present.  The fire service was represented by Chief of Inspections William Howe and Deputy State Fire Marshal Christine Kent of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Preiss and seconded by Commissioner Newbrook 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 June 20, 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 September 27, 2005 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the June 20, 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.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 1 by providing this facility with an approved fire alarm drill switch, installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of  the State Fire Marshals office.
	2.  During the September 27, 2005 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the Applicant planned to make major renovations throughout this facility and to correct all remaining deficiencies in this facility on or before September 1, 2006.  Accordingly, the Board hereby directs the Applicant to temporarily correct deficiency 2 by providing carbon monoxide detection in the resident managers apartment and in all common hallways throughout this facility until a permanent system is installed in September of 2006.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance, until September 1, 2006, to correct deficiencies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals office.
	3-7.  Please see item 2 above.
	8.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 8 by repairing the cited hard-wired smoke detector within this facility.
	9.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 9 by removing the cited mattresses and padding stored in the attic of this facility.

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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