Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 040423
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 140 Natick Avenue, Cranston, RI
APPLICANT: Ms. Debra Miraglia 140 Natick Avenue Cranston, RI 02920
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Day Care Centers
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-05-17
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on February 28, 2006  at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Farrell, Vice Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Richard, Blackburn, Newbrook, Preiss, Burlingame, Filippi, OConnell and Pearson were present.  The fire service was represented by Deputy State Fire Marshal Vincent Quinterno of the State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Newbrook 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 November 1, 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 February 28, 2006 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the November 1, 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 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.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 1 by providing approved remote emergency light heads at the front and side means of egress from the first level of this facility. 
	2.  During the February 28, 2006 hearing on this matter, the Board was advised that the second level of this facility is not a normally occupied space and utilized primarily as office space/storage.  Accordingly, the Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 17.2.4 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain one approved means of egress from the second floor of this facility.  Again, this variance is based on that fact that this is not normally an occupied space.
	3.  The Board hereby grants a variance from the provisions of section 17.2.2.3 in order to allow the Applicant to utilize an existing winding stairway as a second emergency means of egress from the second floor of this facility.
	4.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiency 4 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State 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 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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