Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 060984
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 110-112 Union Street, Providence, RI
APPLICANT: Mr. Walter Bronhard 972 Highland Avenue Fall River, MA 02720
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2007-08-24
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on March 13, 2007 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Burlingame and Commissioners Richard, Blackburn, Preiss, Pearson and Filippi were present.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal David Cionfolo of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Richard and seconded by Commissioner Blackburn to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion was unanimous. 
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FINDINGS OF FACT
The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of a May 24, 2006 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 March 13, 2007 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the May 24, 2004 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.	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 provide separation between occupancies as follows.  The Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to provide floor-ceiling separation by repairing the plaster ceiling or by providing this ceiling with sheet-rock at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.  The Board further grants the Applicant a variance in order to maintain the existing solid core doors within this facility as modified by the State Fire Marshal.  Specifically the above doors shall be provided with approved self-closing and possible latching devices at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of 120 days from the receipt of the required permits in order to make the above corrections.  The Board also advises the State Fire Marshals Office to extend the above deadlines for good faith effort made by the Applicant.
2-4.	It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 2, 3 and 4 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals 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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