Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
(401) 889-5551 phone
(401) 889-5279 fax
711 TTY
FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
560 Jefferson Boulevard
Suite 202
Warwick, RI 02886
DECISION
FILE NO.: 040356
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 75 Kingstown Road, Narragansett, RI
APPLICANT: Mr. Seely Garraughty 75 Kingstown Road Narragansett, RI 02882
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Rooming Houses
DATE OF DECISION: 2004-12-08
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on November 16, 2004 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Farrell and Commissioners Preiss, Newbrook, Evans, Burlingame, Coutu and Fillippi were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Jonathan Smith of the Narragansett State Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Burlingame 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 September 22, 2004 inspection report compiled by the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office during the November 16, 2004 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, 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 sections 26.3.1.1.1, 26.3.1.1.1, 26.3.5.3.3 in order to allow the Applicant to maintain the existing construction, dimension and configuration of the main stairway this facility with the additional fire safety measures outlined herein.  As a condition of this variance, the Board directs the Applicant to provide the stairway with an approved engineered system of domestically supplied sprinkler head installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Narragansett Fire Marshals Office.  The above system shall be further provided with a blackflow preventer.   Accordingly, the Applicant is directed to have his engineer submit the proposed domestically-supplied system of sprinkler heads to the Narragansett Fire Marshals approval.
2-5.	The Board hereby directs the Applicant to correct remaining deficiencies 2, 3, 4 and 5, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Narragansett 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)].
rhode island coat of arms A Rhode Island Government Web site