As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 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 Pearson, Jackson, Sylvester, and Thornton.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Robert McCall of the Middletown Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Timothy Wensus and Bill Wilk.
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 Timothy Wensus (authorized representative) of Jensen Hughes, 117 Metro Center Boulevard -- Suite 1002, Warwick, RI dated December 20, 2016.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  170035 was opened on February 27, 2017.
4.	The property was previously before the Board on December 1, 2015 at which time Decision  150110 was issued dated December 9, 2015.
5.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on May 2, 2017 at 1:00 PM before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review.
6.	After all evidence was presented at the hearing, a motion was made by Commissioner Sylvester and seconded by Commissioner Thornton to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 5 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  170035 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  170035 dated December 20, 2016 and filed on February 27, 2017.
2.	Middletown Fire Marshals Office Plan Review Report dated December 7, 2016.
3.	Decision  150110 dated December 9, 2015.
4.	Letter [email] of authorization for Timothy Wensus of Jensen Hughes from Bill Wilk dated February 3, 2017

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the May 2, 2017 hearing as exhibits:

1.	Applicants drawing  A1.3 dated November 15, 2016.

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 December 7, 2016 plan review report compiled by the Middletown Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Middletown Fire Marshals Office during the May 2, 2017 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the December 7, 2016 plan review 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 2-story with basement assembly occupancy consisting of approximately twenty-two thousand seven hundred sixty-eight (22,768) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1930.
3.	The building is of Type V (000) construction and has a compliant fire alarm system and is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	The maximum occupant load of the facility has been calculated at one thousand ninety-five (1,095) persons.
5.	There is no objection by the Middletown Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
DETERMINATIONS ON VARIANCE REQUESTS

1.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC section 7.1.3.2.1(9) by allowing the existing single-user employee restroom to open directly into the rear staff stairway, based upon a structural hardship.
2.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC section 7.2.1.4.2(2) by allowing the existing break room and single-user employee restroom doors to open against the direction of egress travel, based upon a structural hardship.

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 constitutes a final order of the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review as set forth in R.I.G.L. section 42-35-12 and 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.	In accordance with R.I.G.L 42-35-12, 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)].