Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 050547
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 82 Valley Road, Middletown, RI
APPLICANT: Ms. Catherine Voute Wright 24 Clinton Avenue Jamestown, RI 02835
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Day Care Centers
DATE OF DECISION: 2008-07-11
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on April 29, 2008 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Blackburn, Preiss, Jasparro, Jackson, Walker, Filippi and Dias were present.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshals David Hart and Octavio Vieira of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn and seconded by Vice Chairman 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 28, 2007 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 April 29, 2008 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the June 28, 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.  During the April 29, 2008 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the primary means of egress from the daycare is not shared but that the second means of egress is shared and passes through a vestibule.  The Board notes that the upper level shall maintain a door at the top of the stairs.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 17.1.2.1 and its referenced standards, in order to allow the Applicant to maintain a shared second means of egress from this facility.  In granting this relief, the State Fire Marshal's office has advised that it has no real objection to the current arrangement.
	2-7.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 have been corrected to the satisfaction of the State 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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