Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 030312
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 15-17 Myrtle Street, Pawtucket, RI
APPLICANT: Ms. Paulette R. Andreozzi 84 Ferris Street Pawtucket, RI 02861
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Apartment
DATE OF DECISION: 2007-01-08
The above-captioned case was scheduled for hearing on September 19, 2006 at 1:00 P.M.  At that time, Chairman Coutu, Vice Chairman Burlingame and Commissioners Richard, Blackburn, Preiss, Filippi, OConnell and Newbrook were present.  The fire service was represented by Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Leonard Vine of the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.  A motion was made by Vice Chairman 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 an August 18, 2005 inspection report compiled by the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Pawtucket Fire Marshals Office during the September 19, 2006 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the August 18, 2005 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 State Fire Marshal or his or her designee.

CONCLUSIONS AND VARIANCE REQUESTS 
	1.  During the September 19, 2006 hearing on this matter, the Applicant requested Board approval to reduce the existing four-unit apartment house to a three-family occupancy.  The Pawtucket Fire Marshal advised the Board that the Applicant had corrected all of the remaining deficiencies with the exception of the fire alarm system for this facility.  In light of the above, the Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of 120 days from the date of this decision in order to convert this facility from an apartment house to an existing three-family occupancy.  In granting this relief, the Board notes that the Applicant has provided this facility with approved hard-wired smoke and carbon monoxide detection at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Pawtucket 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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