Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 050823
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 51 Hillside Road, Cranston, RI
APPLICANT: Jan Larson 51 Hillside Road Cranston, RI 02920
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mercantile
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-02-15
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on October 25, 2005 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Farrell, Vice Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Blackburn, Newbrook, Preiss, Burlingame and Pearson were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Timothy Hawthorne of the Cranston 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
	During the October 25, 2005 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised and finds that the Applicant has agreed to remove the thumb-turn locks on the main entrance and to replace these locks with approved key locks on the inside.  The Board was further advised and finds that the approved plans for this facility called for a door assembly measuring six feet, nine and five eighth inches to be installed.  However, the Board finds that the installed door assembly yields a clear height of only six feet seven inches (67).  It is the understanding of the Board that all other fire code deficiencies in this facility have been corrected by the Applicant.
	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.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 7.1.5.1 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing cited door assembly height of six feet seven inches (67) at the main entrance of this facility.  In granting this variance, the Board notes that the Cranston Fire Marshal's office has no objection to this relief.

 
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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