As indicated in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review [hereinafter the Board], pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws [RIGL] sections 23-28.3-5 and 42-46-3.

	Participating at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Pearson, Booth, Thornton and ODonnell.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION: Assistant Deputy State Fire Marshals Brian Poland and James Bellamy of the East Providence Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Wade Palazini.
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 Wade Palazini (authorized representative) of Jensen Hughes, 117 Metro Center Boulevard - Suite 1002, Warwick, RI dated March 7, 2022.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  2022031 was opened on March 7, 2022.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on April 5, 2022 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 reviewing such information, a motion was made by Commissioner Pearson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to grant the Applicant the relief as outlined herein.  The motion passed on a 5 to 0 vote.

RECORD OF THE CASE

The following documents are part of the administrative record for Appeal  2022031 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  2022031 dated March 7, 2022 and filed on March 7, 2022.
a.	Attached Plan of Action dated February 28, 2022
b.	Letter of authorization for Jensen Hughes from Donna Paolino dated March 1, 2022.
2.	East Providence Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated July 20, 2021.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the April 5, 2022 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 20, 2021 inspection report compiled by the East Providence Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Applicant and the East Providence Fire Marshals Office during the April 5, 2022 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the July 20, 2021 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 (assembly, mercantile & business) occupancy, consisting of approximately twenty-four thousand (24,000) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1965.
3.	The building is of Type III (200) construction, has a compliant fire alarm system with emergency forces notification and is not provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
4.	There is no objection by the East 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, (2018 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, (2018 edition) as incorporated by reference and amended by 450-RICR-00-00-8.

The following violations have been corrected: 1-4 and 6-19.

5.	EXTINGUISHMENT: The Board hereby grants the Applicant a variance from the provisions of RILSC section 37.3.5.1(3) by allowing the existing basement level to remain in use without automatic sprinkler protection based upon alternate safeguards, i.e., a non-required fire alarm system with emergency forces notification and the subdivision of tenant spaces  1 &  8 by 5 thick cast-in-place concrete walls and tenant spaces  2-7 by partial (not extending to the ceiling deck above) CMU walls.  In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Applicant to comply with the following conditions:
a.	The existing fire alarm system with emergency forces notification shall be deemed a required system and shall be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with this Code;
b.	All heat detectors on the basement level shall be replaced with system smoke detectors within ninety (90) days of the date of the decision; and,
c.	The open spaces between the top of the CMU walls and the ceiling deck above in tenant spaces  2-7 shall be interfilled with fire-stopping or other approved material, creating smoke barriers, within ninety (90) days of the date of the decision.


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 East Providence Fire Marshals Office, upon receiving a written request, 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: RIGL section 23-28.3-6 and 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)].