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.: 170024
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 1 Fulton Street, Providence, RI
APPLICANT: Timothy Wensus Jensen Hughes 117 Metro Center Boulevard -- Suite 1002 Warwick, RI 02886
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2017-06-23
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, June 13, 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 Filippi, Pearson, Jackson and Booth.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph Schindler of the Providence Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Steve Durkee and Timothy Wensus.
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 19, 2016.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  170024 was opened on February 2, 2017.
4.	The matter was initially before a subcommittee of the Board on April 18, 2017 at which time it was reassigned without a finding until June 13, 2017 for further hearing.
5.	A subsequent hearing on the Application was conducted on June 13, 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 Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Filippi 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  170024 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  170024 dated December 19, 2016 and filed on February 2, 2017.
2.	Providence Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated February 21, 2016.
3.	Letter of authorization (email) for Timothy Wensus from Steve Durkee dated January 25, 2017.
4.	Reschedule Notice dated May 5, 2017.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the June 13, 2017 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 21, 2016 inspection report compiled by the Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Providence Fire Marshals Office during the April 18, 2017 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the February 21, 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 7-story with basement multiple/mixed use (assembly, business and residential) occupancy consisting of approximately forty-nine thousand eight hundred forty-eight (49,848) square feet (living area) and originally built in 1915.
3.	The building is of Type III (200) construction and does not have a compliant fire alarm system and is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	There is no objection by the Providence 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.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of thirty (30) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 9.6.7.2.1 by providing a fire alarm directory or zone map, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Providence Fire Marshal's Office.
3.	This deficiency has been corrected.
4.	This deficiency has been corrected.
5.	The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC sections 13.4.4.1 and 11.8.6.2 by allowing:
a.	11.8.6.2(4): elevator floor location and operation annunciators to remain in the current location;
b.	11.8.6.2(5): elevator fire recall switch to remain in the current location; and,
c.	11.8.6.2(11): public access telephone to be omitted.
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.

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)].
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