Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 040387
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 565 Tower Hill Road, North Kingstown, RI
APPLICANT: Oak Hill Tavern PO Box 372 North Kingstown, RI 02852
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-07-21
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing by a subcommittee of the Board on April 5, 2006 at 9:00 A.M.  At that time, Vice Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Blackburn, Filippi and Burlingame were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Gordon Walsh of the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.  The subcommittee recommendations were reviewed by the full Board on April 18, 2006 and approved pursuant to a motion made by Commissioner Newbrook and seconded by Commissioner Pearson.  Accordingly, the subcommittee recommendations now have the status of a full Board decision.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of a September 22, 2004 inspection report compiled by the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office. The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office during the April 5, 2006 subcommittee hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 22, 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 or his or her designee.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1-5.  During the April 5, 2006 subcommittee hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as listed on the September 22, 2004 inspection report.
	6.  During the April 5, 2006 hearing on this matter, the Board was further advised that the Applicant sought a variance in order to maintain a single means of egress from the third floor office of this facility.  The Board was further advised that the Applicant would limit occupancy of this office to approximately two (2) people and that the Applicant would further provide this facility with a sprinkler system on a voluntary basis.  In light of the above, the Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 7.4 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain a single means of egress from the third floor office of this facility as described above.  In granting this variance, the Board accepts the Applicants proposal to voluntarily provide this facility with an approved sprinkler system installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Kingstown Fire Marshal's office within 120 days of the date of this decision.  Specifically, the above relief is conditioned upon the Applicants providing this facility with the above voluntary sprinkler system and maintaining this system at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Kingstown Fire Marshal's 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 subcommittees recommendation to the full Board, within thirty (30) days of the mailing date of this Decision, by requesting such review in writing in accordance with the provisions of RIGL 23-28.3-5(b)4.  Commencement of such an appeal does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [R.I.G.L. 42-35-15(c)].
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