Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 070262
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 93 Kingstown Road, Charlestown, RI
APPLICANT: Ms. Laureen Ratti 93 Kingstown Road Wyoming, RI 02898
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2009-08-26
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on July 21, 2009 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Pearson, Blackburn, Jackson, Jasparro, Walker and Preiss were present.  By letter dated July 20, 2009, Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Raymond Bader of the Hope Valley Fire Marshal's office advised the Board that he was unable to attend the hearing due to an emergency family matter.  However, the July 20, 2009 letter along with the July 2, 2009 inspection report provided the Board with ample background in order to proceed with this case.  A motion was made by Commissioner Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Jasparro 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 July 2, 2009 inspection report compiled by the Hope Valley/Wyoming Fire District Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board and the Applicant during the July 21, 2009 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the July 2, 2009 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 the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of this decision in order to prepare and present a plan for correction of deficiency 1 by providing this facility with an approved local fire alarm system.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional 120 days in order to implement this plan by providing this facility with an approved local fire alarm system installed at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Hope Valley/Wyoming Fire District Fire Marshal's office.  Finally, the Board notes that the Hope Valley/Wyoming Fire District Fire Marshal's office may extend the above deadlines for good faith efforts being shown by the Applicant.

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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