Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

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DECISION
FILE NO.: 180024
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 1015 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown, RI
APPLICANT: Leanne Rodrigues 1015 Aquidneck Avenue Middletown, RI 02842
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mercantile
DATE OF DECISION: 2018-04-26
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, April 17, 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 Filippi, Jackson, Sylvester, Booth and Thornton.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Robert McCall of the Middletown Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Leanne Rodrigues.
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 Leanne Rodrigues (owner) of 1015 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown, RI dated [undated].
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  180024 was opened on February 23, 2018.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on April 17, 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 Vice-Chairman Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Sylvester to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 7 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  180024 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  180024 dated [undated] and filed on February 23, 2018.
2.	Middletown Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated February 1, 2018.
3.	Reschedule Notice dated March 14, 2018.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the April 17, 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 numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of the February 1, 2018 inspection 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 April 17, 2018 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the February 1, 2018 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 with basement mercantile (restaurant) occupancy consisting of approximately one thousand six hundred fifty-six (1,656) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1960.
3.	The building is of Type V (000) construction, has a compliant fire alarm system and is not provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	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.	This deficiency has been corrected.
2.	This deficiency has been corrected.
3.	This deficiency has been corrected.
4.	This deficiency has been corrected.
5.	COMMERCIAL COOKING: The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RIFC section 50.1 by allowing the existing residential stove(s) located in the basement to continue in use for the limited purpose of cooking by boiling, without the production of any smoke or grease-laden vapors.  In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Applicant to ensure that if the cooking arrangements as set forth above are modified in the future, that full compliance with the requirements of RIFC Chapter 50 shall be complied with.

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 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(V).
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 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(W).)  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 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(X)).
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 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(Y)).
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 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(R)).  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [See: RIGL section 42-35-15(c)].
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