As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, January 28, 2020 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 and Commissioners Filippi, Pearson, Booth, Thornton, ODonnell and Muto.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Scott Corio of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Karen Maw and Diana Sinina.
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 Karen Maw (authorized representative) of Diamond Star Property Management, PO Box 8397, Cranston, RI dated [undated].
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  190167 was opened on November 21, 2019.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on January 28, 2020 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 ODonnell 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  190167 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  190167 dated [undated] and filed on November 21, 2019.
a.	Letter of authorization for Karen Maw from Diana Sinina dated October 28, 2019 .
2.	North Providence Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated September 26, 2019.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the January 28, 2020 hearing as exhibits:

1.	AHJ  A: Joint AHJ/Applicant plan of action dated January 27, 2020.

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 Findings of Fact:

1.	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of the January 28, 2020 plan of action report compiled by the North Providence Fire Marshals Office and the Applicant.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the North Providence Fire Marshals Office during the January 28, 2020 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the January 28, 2020 plan of action 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 4-story above grade building without a basement level, classified as an apartment (20 units) occupancy, originally built in 1983.
3.	The building is of Type V (111) construction, has an approved (with deficiencies) fire alarm system and is not provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	There is no objection by the North Providence Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
DETERMINATIONS ON VARIANCE REQUESTS

References to NFPA shall mean the National Fire Protection Association; references to the Rhode Island Fire Code [RIFC] shall mean NFPA 1, (2015 edition) as incorporated by reference and amended by 450-RICR-00-00-7; and, references to the Rhode Island Life Safety Code [RILSC] shall mean NFPA 101, (2015 edition) as incorporated by reference and amended by 450-RICR-00-00-8.

1.	This deficiency has been corrected.
2.	FIRE ALARM SYSTEM: 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 the RILSC 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 North Providence Fire Marshals Office.
3.	This deficiency will be corrected with the completion of item  2, above.
4.	EGRESS MARKING: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 2 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 7.10.9.1 by providing this facility with approved exit signage in accordance with section 7.10, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.
5.	This deficiency has been corrected.
6.	OPENING PROTECTIVES: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 2 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.2.2.1.3 by providing doors in the egress system of this facility that are self-closing and self-latching, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshal's Office.
7.	This deficiency has been corrected.
8.	EMERGENCY LIGHTING: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 2 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.2.9 by providing this facility with approved emergency lighting in accordance with section 7.9, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.
9.	EGRESS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 2 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 7.2.2.4.3 by providing this facility with approved stair handrails, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.
10.	This deficiency has been corrected.
11.	PROTECTION FROM HAZARDS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 2 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.3.2.1 by protecting any furnace or boiler with a domestically-supplied sprinkler head(s) installed in accordance with RILSC sections 9.7.1.2 and 9.7.1.3 or providing a 1-hour fire resistance rated enclosure, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the North Providence Fire Marshals Office.
12.	EGRESS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC section 31.2.4.3 by allowing the existing lower level access corridor to remain in use without modification based upon a structural hardship.  In granting this relief, it is the understanding of the Board that each unit served by this corridor have windows which are compliant as a second means of escape at grade.

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 North Providence 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 450-RICR-00-00-1.7.2(X).

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)].