Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 060116A
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 15 Edendale Avenue, Providence, RI
APPLICANT: St. Thomas Regional School 15 Edendale Avenue Providence, RI 02911-2897
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Educational
DATE OF DECISION: 2009-08-25
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on April 28, 2009 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Preiss, Jackson, Filippi, Richard, Blackburn, Walker, Jasparro and Dias were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Lisa Krapf of the Providence Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Commissioner Walker and seconded by Commissioner Jackson to grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed over the objection of Commissioner Dias.

FINDINGS OF FACT
	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of an April 28, 2008 inspection report compiled by the Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Providence Fire Marshals Office during the April 28, 2009 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the April 28, 2008 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 
	1-2.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 1 and 2 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence Fire Marshal's office.
	3.  The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance until September of 2009 in order to complete and submit a plan of action to the Providence Fire Marshal's office to address deficiency 3.  The Board further grants the Applicant a time variance until the September 2010 commencement of the 2010-2011 academic year in which to implement the plan of action and provide this facility with approved escape windows, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence Fire Marshal's office in accordance with the approved plan of action.
	4-5.  It is the understanding of the Board that the Applicant has corrected deficiencies 4 and 5 at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence 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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