Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 040193
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 421 Hope Street, Providence, RI
APPLICANT: YMCA of Greater Providence 222 Richmond Street 302 Providence, RI 02903
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Day Care Centers
DATE OF DECISION: 2005-09-30
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on July 26, 2005 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Acting Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Blackburn, Newbrook, Preiss, Pearson, OConnell and Burlingame were present.  The fire service was represented by Chief of Inspections William Howe and Deputy State Fire Marshal Steven Day of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Preiss 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 May 3, 2004 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 July 26, 2005 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the May 3, 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, 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 State Fire Marshal.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS
	1-6.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals office.
	7.  During the July 26, 2005 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised by the State Fire Marshals office that the Applicant could correct deficiency 7 by relocating the door at the first floor level of the staircase in the corridor at the direction of the State Fire Marshals office.  Accordingly, the Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of 120 days from the date of this decision in order to allow the Applicant to relocate the cited door in the corridor, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals office.
	8-9.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 8 and 9 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals office.
	10.  During the July 26, 2005 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that deficiency 10 was partially corrected by the Applicant by providing sheetrock and by fully sprinklering the basement area.  Since it appears that the Applicant has corrected the penetrations to the best of his ability, the Board hereby grants a variance in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing protection of the penetrations of the basement ceiling in conjunction with the sprinkler system.  Finally the Board notes that the basement shall be limited to storage and that there shall be no daycare occupancy in this area.

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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