Fire Safety Code, Rhode Island

Decisions - Details

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
(401) 889-5551 phone
(401) 889-5279 fax
711 TTY
FIRE SAFETY CODE - BOARD OF APPEAL AND REVIEW
560 Jefferson Boulevard
Suite 202
Warwick, RI 02886
DECISION
FILE NO.: 2020060
LOCATION OF PREMISES: 214 Corn Neck Road (Lodging or Rooming House), New Shoreham, RI
APPLICANT: Kristen Kiley 363 Cedar Avenue East Greenwich, RI 02818
USE OR OCCUPANCY: Mixed
DATE OF DECISION: 2020-11-20
As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted by Zoom webinar on Tuesday, November 17, 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, Vice-Chairman Blackburn and Commissioners Pearson, Booth, Thornton, Davison, ODonnell and Muto.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Deputy State Fire Marshal Christopher Mahoney of the State Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Kristen Kiley and Daniel McLaughlin.
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 Kristen Kiley (owner) of 363 Cedar Avenue, East Greenwich, RI dated September 4, 2020.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  2020060 was opened on September 10, 2020.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted by Zoom webinar on November 17, 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 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  2020060 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  2020060 dated September 4, 2020 and filed on September 10, 2020.
2.	State Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated August 6, 2020.
3.	Scheduling email to DSFM Christopher Mahoney and Kristen Kiley dated September 24, 2020.
4.	Zoom webinar invitation  86328734398 dated November 9, 2020.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the November 17, 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 August 6, 2020 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 November 17, 2020 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the August 6, 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 1-story above grade building with a basement level, classified as a multiple/mixed use (lodging or rooming house and storage) occupancy, consisting of approximately one thousand seven hundred thirty-six (1,736) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1900.
3.	The building is of Type V (000) construction, does not have an approved fire alarm system and is not provided with an 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 until the commencement of the 2021 operating season to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 26.3.4.1.1 by installing an approved fire alarm system throughout the facility in accordance with section 9.6, 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 will be corrected with the completion of item  1, above.
9.	This deficiency has been corrected.
10.	EGRESS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 26.2.1.2 by providing an approved secondary means of escape for the loft sleeping area, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.  The Board further grants a variance from this section allowing the one existing non-compliant bedroom window configuration (18 x 20) to remain without modification based upon a structural hardship.
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)].
rhode island coat of arms A Rhode Island Government Web site