As documented in the file, a hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 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, 42-35-9 and 42-46-3.

	In attendance at the hearing were the following:
COMMISSIONERS: Chairman Newbrook and Commissioners Pearson, Sylvester, Booth, Thornton, ODonnell, Muto and Spaziani.
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION [AHJ]: Deputy State Fire Marshal Robbie Lopez of the State Fire Marshals Office.
APPLICANT: Samantha Disotell.
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 Samantha Disotell (authorized representative) of Neptune House, 64 Connecticut Avenue, Block Island, RI dated August 23, 2023.
3.	The Application was received by the Board and File  2023133 was opened on August 28, 2023.
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on October 31, 2023 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 Thornton and seconded by Commissioners ODonnell and Sylvester 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  2023133 and are pertinent to the decision rendered:

1.	Variance Application  2023133 dated August 23, 2023 and filed on August 28, 2023.
a.	Letter of authorization for Samantha Disotell from Phil Totino dated August 24, 2023
2.	State Fire Marshals Office Inspection Report dated August 15, 2023.

EXHIBITS

The following documents were presented at the October 31, 2023 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 determinations below correspond with those of the August 15, 2023 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 October 31, 2023 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the August 15, 2023 inspection report as its initial findings of fact.  Any modification of the Boards findings relating to this report, such as correction of a deficiency by the Applicant, shall be noted herein.
2.	The building is an existing 4-story above grade building with a basement level, classified as an apartment (9 units) occupancy, consisting of approximately twenty thousand six hundred twenty-four (20,624) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1989.
3.	The building is of Type V (000) construction, has an approved (with deficiencies) fire alarm system with emergency forces notification 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, (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.

1.	SMOKE ALARMS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant a time variance until May 1, 2024 to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.3.4.5.1 by providing this facility with approved smoke alarms in accordance with section 9.6.2.10, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.  In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Applicant to install temporary battery-operated smoke alarms in each apartment within forty-eight (48) hours of the date of the hearing, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
2.	FIRE ALARM SYSTEM: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC sections 31.1.1.1(2), 31.3.4.4 and 9.6.2.11 installing an approved fire alarm system in accordance with section 9.6 throughout the facility, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.
3.	CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC sections 31.3.4.6.1 by providing this facility with approved carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in accordance with section 9.12 and 31.3.4.6, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.  In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Applicant to install temporary battery-operated carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in each apartment within forty-eight (48) hours of the date of the hearing, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
4.	PROTECTION FROM HAZARDS: The Board hereby grants the Applicant the time variance outlined in item 1 above to comply with the provisions of RILSC section 31.3.2.1.1 by protecting the laundry room with approved separation or automatic sprinklers, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the State Fire Marshals Office.
5.	This deficiency/violation 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).

Finally, the Board hereby authorizes the State Fire Marshals Office, upon receiving a written request, to extend the above timeline(s) for good faith compliance efforts being demonstrated by the Applicant by one (1) or more extensions of time of not more than thirty (30) days each, for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days 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(W)].
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(Y)].  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(Z)].
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(AA)].
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(S)].  Commencement of such an action does not operate as an automatic stay of this Decision [See: RIGL section 42-35-15(c)].