Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 040458
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 1270 Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence, RI
APPLICANT: Oki Japanese Steak house 1270 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence, RI 02904
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Assembly
DATE OF DECISION: 2006-03-03
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on December 6, 2005 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Farrell, Vice Chairman Coutu and Commissioners Blackburn, Newbrook, Preiss, Burlingame, Pearson, Filippi and Richard were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal David Vartian of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Newbrook and seconded by Commissioner Richard 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 23, 2004 inspection report compiled by the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the North Providence Fire Marshals Office during the December 6, 2005 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the November 23, 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
	1-11.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of 120 days from the date of this decision in which to correct deficiencies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals office.
	12-13.  Upon review of the record in this case and after consideration of the testimony presented on December 6, 2005, the Board has determined that this facility should be treated as an organized dining facility and not a nightclub.  Accordingly, the deficiencies outlined in items 12 and 13 are not applicable to this facility.  However, in the event the Applicant anticipates having entertainment which would exceed the ambient noise level, the Applicant is hereby directed to contact the North Providence Fire Marshal's office in order to specifically develop and execute a plan of action to address this situation.

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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