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.: 160040
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 560 Old Baptist Road, North Kingstown, RI
APPLICANT: Toray Plastics America 50 Belver Avenue North Kingstown, RI 02852
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Industrial
DATE OF DECISION: 2016-05-05
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on April 19, 2016 before a subcommittee of the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, pursuant to RI General Laws Section 23-28.3-5.
	In attendance at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Filippi, Booth and Thornton.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Gordon Walsh of the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Wayne DAmico.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: W. Keith Burlingame, Esq.

TRAVEL OF THE CASE

1.	This is an Application for Variance filed under R.I.G.L. Chapter 23-28.3, entitled Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review, and the Administrative Regulations promulgated thereunder.
2.	The Application was filed by Lisa Ahart (authorized representative) of Toray Plastics America, 50 Belver Avenue, North Kingstown, RI dated [undated].
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  160040 opened on March 1, 2016.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on April 19, 2016 at 1:00 PM before a subcommittee of the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review.
5.	After all evidence was presented at the hearing, a motion was made by Commissioner Thornton and seconded by Commissioner Filippi to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 4 to 0 vote.
6.	The subcommittee recommendations were subsequently presented to the Board for acceptance on April 26, 2016 at which time Chairman Newbrook, Vice-Chairman Blackburn and Commissioners Richard, Filippi, Pearson, Jackson, Booth and Thornton were in attendance.  At that time a motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Richard to accept the subcommittee recommendation and grant the Applicant relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on an 8 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  160040 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  160040 dated [undated] and filed on March 1, 2016.
2.	North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated February 3, 2016.
3.	Letter of Authorization for Wayne DAmico and Mike Coletta from Michael Brandmeier dated February 24, 2016.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the April 19, 2016 hearing as exhibits:

1.	None.

FINDINGS OF FACT

	Based on the testimony and evidence introduced at the hearing and a review of the administrative file, the Board makes the following Finding of Fact:

1.	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of the February 3, 2016 inspection report compiled by the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office during the April 19, 2016 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the February 3, 2016 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.
2.	The building is an existing 1-story industrial occupancy.
3.	The building is of Type II construction and is provided with approved sprinkler protection and has a compliant fire alarm system.
4.	There is no objection by the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
DETERMINATIONS ON VARIANCE REQUESTS

1.	This deficiency has been corrected.
2.	This deficiency has been corrected.
3.	This deficiency has been corrected.
4.	This deficiency has been corrected.
5.	This deficiency has been corrected.
6.	This deficiency has been corrected.
7.	This deficiency has been corrected.
8.	This deficiency has been corrected.
9.	This deficiency has been corrected.
10.	This deficiency has been corrected.
11.	This deficiency has been corrected.
12.	This deficiency has been corrected.
13.	This deficiency has been corrected.
14.	This deficiency has been corrected.
15.	This deficiency has been corrected.
16.	This deficiency has been corrected.
17.	This deficiency has been corrected.
18.	This deficiency has been corrected.
19.	This deficiency has been corrected.
20.	This deficiency has been corrected.
21.	This deficiency has been corrected.
22.	This deficiency has been corrected.
23.	This deficiency has been corrected.
24.	This deficiency has been corrected.
25.	This deficiency has been corrected.
26.	This deficiency has been corrected.
27.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC section 7.1.5 by allowing the existing headroom of 6-2 at the door of the maintenance shop office to remain as an existing condition based upon a structural hardship.
28.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC section 7.1.5 by allowing the existing headroom of 6-4 in the maintenance shop office to remain as an existing condition based upon a structural hardship.
29.	This deficiency has been corrected.
30.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC section 7.1.5 by allowing the existing headroom of 5-0 in second floor mezzanine storage area to remain as an existing condition based upon a structural hardship.
31.	This deficiency has been corrected.
32.	This deficiency has been corrected.
33.	This deficiency has been corrected.

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).


STATUS OF DECISION AND APPEAL RIGHTS

1.	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: Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-22).
2.	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: Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-23.)  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: Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-24).
3.	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:  Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-25).
4.	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.  (See: Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-18).  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