As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review [hereinafter the Board], pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws [RIGL] section 23-28.3-5.
	In attendance at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook, Vice-Chairman Blackburn and Commissioners Pearson, Sylvester, Booth and Thornton.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Gregory Pariseault of the North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Shahin Barzin and Sam Hardy.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: W. Keith Burlingame, Esq.

TRAVEL OF THE CASE

1.	This is an Application for Variance filed under RIGL 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 Shahin Barzin (authorized representative) of 35 Brown LLC, 159 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI dated January 22, 2018.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  180016 was opened on January 30, 2018.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on March 6, 2018 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 a 6 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  180016 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  180016 dated January 22, 2018 and filed on January 30, 2018.
2.	North Kingstown Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated November 20, 2017.
3.	Letter of authorization for Shahin Barzin from Carolyn Rafaelian dated January 30, 2018.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the March 6, 2018 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 Decision below corresponds with those of the November 20, 2017 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 March 6, 2018 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the November 20, 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 2-story with basement mercantile occupancy consisting of approximately sixteen thousand eight hundred eighty-two (16,882) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1917.
3.	The building is of mixed construction types, has a compliant fire alarm system and is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system that is currently non-compliant.
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.	EXTINGUISHMENT: The Board grants the Applicant a time variance as set forth herein to bring the automatic sprinkler system of this building into compliance, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Kingstown Fire Marshal's Office:
a.	All storage on the first and second floors of the building shall be removed within thirty (30) days of the date of the decision;
b.	The sprinkler protection for the currently occupied retail space on the first floor shall be brought into compliance within sixty (60) days of the date of the decision; and,
c.	A plan of action for the remainder of the building spaces and the associated sprinkler protection shall be submitted to the North Kingstown Fire Marshal's Office within six (6) months of the date of the decision.  The Applicant shall them have an additional twelve (12) months to implement this plan of action and bring the sprinkler system for the entire building into full compliance, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Kingstown Fire Marshal's 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).

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 RIGL 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 [FSC] 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: FSC 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 FSC or a revision of the above-cited classification.  (See: FSC 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 RIGL section 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:  FSC section 6-2-25).
4.	In accordance with RIGL section 23-28.3-5(e), any person who violates a final order of the Board may be subject to prosecution in the District Court with possible imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year, or fined not more than one thousand dollars (1000) for each offense.
5.	In accordance with RIGL section 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: FSC section 6-2-18).  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [See: RIGL section 42-35-15(c)].