The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on September 9, 2008 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Walker, Jackson, Preiss, Filippi, Richard, Jasparro, Dias and Pearson were present.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Arthur DaCosta of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Vice Chairman Newbrook and seconded by Commissioners Dias and Pearson 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 July 1, 2008 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 9, 2008 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the July 1, 2008 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.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of sections 29.2.1.1 and 7.1.5.1 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing cited headroom on the basis of structural hardship and the fact that this area has minimum storage and no sleeping.  
	2.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 2 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	3.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in which to submit plans for the correction of deficiency 3 and an additional 120 days to execute those plans at the direction and to the satisfaction of the  State Fire Marshals office.
	4.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 4.
	5.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 5.
	6-12.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in which to submit plans for the correction of deficiencies 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 and an additional 120 days to execute those plans at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	13-16.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 13, 14, 15 and 16 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	17.  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to provide domestically supplied sprinkler heads in the area of the stairwell located in the original portion of the building cited as deficiency 17.  The Applicant shall have a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in order to prepare plans to address this alternative and an additional 120 days to implement those plans at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.
	18.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance in order to maintain the cited sleeping rooms in the original building without a secondary means of escape provided these areas are protected by domestic sprinkler heads installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's office.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision to design and submit a plan of action for the installation of the domestic sprinkler heads and an additional 120 days to install the above sprinkler heads.  The Board notes that all of the above deadlines may be extended by the State Fire Marshal's office for good faith efforts being shown by the Applicant.

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)].