As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, September 19, 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, Vice-Chairman Blackburn and Commissioners Pearson, Jackson, Sylvester and Booth.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal John Polacek of the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Donald Lacroix.
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 Donald Lacroix (owner) of 31 Walker Lane, Coventry, RI dated [undated].
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  170119 was opened on September 7, 2017.
4.	The matter was previously before the Board on May 22, 2001 at which time Decision  010090 was issued dated March 27, 2003.
5.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on September 19, 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 Vice-Chairman Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Jackson to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 6 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  170119 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  170119 dated [undated] and filed on September 7, 2017.
2.	Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated July 28, 2017.
3.	Decision  010090 dated March 27, 2003.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the September 19, 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 July 28, 2017 inspection report compiled by the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office during the September 19, 2017 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the July 28, 2017 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 3-story with basement apartment (6 unit) occupancy consisting of approximately nine thousand seven hundred forty (9,740) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1927.
3.	The building is of Type V (000) construction, does not have a compliant fire alarm system and is not provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	Hard-wired smoke alarms are provided in the buildings dwelling units, however all of the locations are not compliant.
5.	The Board has been advised that the property is currently under a purchase and sales agreement with transfer of title expected within the next thirty (30) days.  The Applicant (current owner and seller) advised the Board that the new owner/buyer would be assuming all responsibilities for compliance with this decision.
6.	There is no objection by the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
DETERMINATIONS ON VARIANCE REQUESTS

1.	FIRE ALARM SYSTEM: The Board grants the Applicant a time variance of forty-five (45) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 9.6.11 by developing and submitting a plan of action for the installation of an approved fire alarm system in accordance with section 9.6 throughout the facility.  The Board further grants the Applicant an additional one hundred fifty (150) days in order to implement the above plan of action, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.
2.	FIRE ALARM: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of NFPA 72 (2010 edition) section 17.14 and RILSC section 9.6.2.2.1 by providing this facility with approved manual fire alarm boxes, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshal's Office.
3.	FIRE ALARM: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of NFPA 72 (2010 edition) section 18.4.5 by providing the sleeping areas of this facility with approved audible notification appliances, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshal's Office.
4.	FIRE ALARM: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of NFPA 72 (2010 edition) sections 18.4.7 and 18.4.8.3 by providing this facility with approved visible notification appliances, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshal's Office.
5.	CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.3.4.6.1 by providing this facility with approved carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in accordance with section 9.8, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshal's Office.
6.	SMOKE ALARMS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.3.4.5.1 by providing this facility with approved smoke alarms in accordance with section 9.6.2.10, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshal's Office.
7.	INTERIOR FINISH: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance as set forth in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 7.1.4.1 by treating all wood paneling or wainscoting with an approved fire-retardant coating (intumescent paint), at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.
8.	OPENING PROTECTIVES: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 7.2.1.8.1 by providing the doors in the egress system of this facility with approved self-closing devices, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshal's Office.
9.	PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.3.5.12 by providing this facility with approved portable fire extinguishers, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.

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).

Finally, the Board hereby authorizes the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office to extend the above timeline(s) for good faith compliance efforts being demonstrated by the Applicant in accordance with the provisions of Fire Safety Code, section 6-2-22.1.

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)].