As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted by Zoom webinar on Tuesday, May 12, 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 and Executive Orders  20-05, 20-25 and 20-34.
	Participating at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook, Vice-Chairman Blackburn and Commissioners Pearson, Sylvester, Thornton, Davison, ODonnell and Muto.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Deputy State Fire Marshal Kaitlyn Iannone of the State Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Jason Sullivan.
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 Jason Sullivan (authorized representative) of 455D Switch Road, Charlestown, RI dated February 12, 2020.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  2020009 was opened on February 20, 2020.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted by Zoom webinar on May 12, 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 Vice-Chairman Blackburn and seconded by Commissioner Muto to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on an 8 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  2020009 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  2020009 dated February 12, 2020 and filed on February 20, 2020.
a.	Attached Plan of Action dated December 16, 2019
b.	Letter of authorization for Jason Sullivan from Jane Daly dated January 23, 2020.
2.	State Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated November 8, 2019.
3.	Reschedule Notice dated March 13, 2020.
4.	Zoom Reschedule Notice dated May 6, 2020.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the May 12, 2020 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 Findings of Fact:

1.	The numbers of the Decision below correspond with those of the November 8, 2019 inspection report compiled by the State Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the State Fire Marshals Office during the May 12, 2020 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the November 8, 2019 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 above grade building with a basement level, classified as a educational occupancy, consisting of approximately forty-four thousand six hundred twenty (44,620) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1975.
3.	The building is of Type II (000) construction, has a approved (with deficiencies) fire alarm system and is not provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	There is no objection by the State 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.	FIRE ALARM SYSTEM: The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance of one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of the decision to comply with the provisions of RILSC sections 15.3.4.1.1 and 15.3.4.5.1 by an approved total (complete) coverage fire alarm system in accordance with section 9.6.2.9 throughout the facility, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.
2.	This deficiency has been corrected.
3.	This deficiency has been corrected.
4.	This deficiency has been corrected.
5.	This deficiency has been corrected.
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.
15.	This deficiency has been corrected.
16.	This deficiency has been corrected.
17.	This deficiency has been corrected.
18.	This deficiency has been corrected.
19.	This deficiency has been corrected.
20.	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).

In addition, the Board hereby authorizes the State 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).

Finally, the Board directs that this file may be reopened if necessary, in order to allow the Applicant to return in the future should completion of this project be delayed by unanticipated difficulties in obtaining materials, supplies or manpower due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

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)].