As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted by Zoom webinar on Tuesday, August 25, 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 Order.

	Participating at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Booth, Thornton, Davison, ODonnell and Muto.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph Schindler of the Providence Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Thomas Olson.
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 Thomas C. Olson (owner) of 417 Plainfield Street, Providence, RI dated July 9, 2020.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  2020047 was opened on July 23, 2020.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted by Zoom webinar on August 25, 2020 at 1:00 PM before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review.
5.	After consideration of the application, the testimony of the witnesses and of the entire record presented to the Board, and after carefully considering such information, a motion was made by Commissioner Thornton and seconded by Commissioners Booth and Muto 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  2020047 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  2020047 dated July 9, 2020 and filed on July 23, 2020.
a.	Drawings (9 pages) dated November 7, 2019
2.	Providence Fire Marshals Office Plan Review Report dated July 7, 2020.
3.	Scheduling email to ADSFM Joseph Schindler and Thomas Olson dated August 11, 2020.
4.	Zoom webinar invitation  91680705239 dated August 17, 2020.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the August 25, 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 July 7, 2020 plan review report compiled by the Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the Providence Fire Marshals Office during the August 25, 2020 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the July 7, 2020 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 2-1/2-story above grade building with a basement level, classified as a multiple/mixed use (assembly/funeral establishment and residential) occupancy, consisting of approximately six thousand three hundred eighty-seven (6,387) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1930 and operated as a funeral establishment continuously since 1940.
3.	The building is of Type V (000) construction, has a approved (with deficiencies) fire alarm system and is not provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	The occupant load of the place of assembly [funeral establishment] has been calculated at less than five hundred (500) persons.
5.	The second and third floor [upper levels] dwelling units of this facility are occupied by the owner and his family members.
6.	There is no objection by the 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.	EXTINGUISHMENT: The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC sections 13.3.5.1.1(5) and 9.6.2.9 by allowing the existing facility to remain in use without requiring the installation of automatic sprinklers and without requiring a full coverage fire alarm system throughout the facility based upon the fact that the upper levels are owner-occupied residential dwelling units.  In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Applicant to comply with the following provisions:
a.	The first-floor place of assembly [funeral establishment] and the basement level shall be provided with a full coverage fire alarm system installed in accordance with section 9.6.2.9;
b.	The upper levels residential occupancies shall be provided with a selective coverage fire alarm system installed in accordance with section 9.6.2.11; and,
c.	This variance shall remain in effect only as long as the upper levels residential dwelling units remain owner-occupied.

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)].