Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
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FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
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DECISION
FILE NO.: 160136
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 84 Cutler Street 1, Warren, RI
APPLICANT: Analee Berretto 84 Cutler Street 1 Warren, RI 02885
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Day Care Centers
DATE OF DECISION: 2016-11-17
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on November 1, 2016 before 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, Pearson, Walker, Sylvester, Booth, Thornton and Davison.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Deputy State Fire Marshals Octavio Vieira and Hannah Burnes of the State Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Analee Berretto.
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 Analee Berretto (authorized representative) of 84 Cutler Street --  1, Warren, RI dated September 20, 2016.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  160136 opened on September 21, 2016.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on November 1, 2016 at 1:00 PM before 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 Sylvester to grant the Applicant the 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  160136 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  160136 dated September 20, 2016 and filed on September 21, 2016.
2.	State Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report  8834 dated September 20, 2016.
3.	State Fire Marshals Office Building Description.
4.	Letter of authorization for Analee Berretto from Andy Arruda dated September 27, 2016.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the November 1, 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 September 20, 2016 inspection report compiled by the State Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the State Fire Marshals Office during the November 1, 2016 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the September 20, 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 multiple/separated use building with a day care occupancy consisting of approximately five thousand seven hundred (5,700) square feet and originally built in 1917.
3.	The building is of Type II (111) construction and has a compliant fire alarm system and is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	A hard-wired smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm is provided in the day care occupancy.
5.	The Board finds that based upon the Applicants testimony, the building is to be vacated within one (1) year and the day care occupancy relocated to a new location.
6.	There is no objection by the State Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
DETERMINATIONS ON VARIANCE REQUESTS

1.	The Board grants the Applicant a time variance of one (1) year from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC sections 17.2.2.2 and 7.2.1 by allowing the existing rear exit vertical-rolling door to remain in use or until such time that the building is vacated.  In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Applicant to relocate the existing exit sign over this door to the door leading back into the day care area within thirty (30) days of the date of the decision, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
2.	This is no longer a deficiency based upon the relief granted in item 1 above.
3.	This deficiency has been corrected.
4.	This deficiency has been corrected.
5.	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).

The Board directs that this file may be reopened if necessary in order to allow the Applicant to return in the future should additional relief be required for the completion of this project.

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)].
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