Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 050812
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 85 Ethan Street, Warwick, RI
APPLICANT: Director Peg Richard Ethan Place 85 Ethan Street Warwick, RI 02888
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Residential Board and Care
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-03-03
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on November 29, 2005 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Farrell, Vice Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Richard, Newbrook, Preiss, Burlingame, Blackburn, OConnell and Pearson were present.  The fire service was represented by Chief of Inspections William Howe of the State Fire Marshals Office and ADSFM George Potter of the Warwick Fire Marshals office.  A motion was made by Vice Chairman Coutu and seconded by Commissioner Burlingame 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 29, 2005 inspection report compiled by the State Fire Marshals Office in conjunction with the Warwick Fire Marshal.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the State and Warwick Fire Marshals Office during the November 29, 2005 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the August 29, 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 Authority Having Jurisdiction (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 Applicant has corrected deficiency 1 by providing the additional handrail on the stairway to the basement.
	2.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 2 by providing a spare sprinkler head kit within this facility.
	3.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 7.1.5.1.1. in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing headroom in the basement of this facility.  The Board hereby grants this variance on the basis of structural hardship.
	4.  During the November 29, 2005 hearing on this matter, the Applicant made an additional request in order to protect in place.  The Board hereby denies the Applicants additional request.

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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