A hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 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: Vice-Chairperson Thornton and Commissioners ODonnell, Muto, Walsh & Mancini. 
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION [AHJ]: State Fire Marshal Charles Carr II of the East Providence Fire Marshals Office. 
APPELLANT: Wade Palazini. 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: W. Keith Burlingame, Esq. 
 
TRAVEL OF THE CASE 
 
1.	This is an Application for Appeal submitted 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 submitted by Wade Palazini (authorized representative) of Jensen Hughes. 117 Metro Center Boulevard  Suite 1002, Warwick, RI dated February 26, 2025. 
3.	The Application was processed by the Board and Appeal  2025029 was filed on February 28, 2025. 
4.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on April 1, 2025 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 Mancini and seconded by Commissioners Muto and ODonnell to grant the Appellant 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  2025029 and are pertinent to the decision rendered: 
 
1.	Appeal Application  FVA-25-29 submitted on February 26, 2025 and filed on February 28, 2025. 
a.	Attached Plan of Action dated February 19, 2025 
b.	Letter of authorization for Jensen Hughes from Catherine Shaghalian dated February 10, 2025. 
2.	East Providence Fire Marshals Office plan of action review [email] dated February 24, 2025. 
 
EXHIBITS 
 
The following documents were presented at the April 1, 2025 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 determinations below correspond with the February 19, 2025 plan of action report compiled by the Appellant.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Appellant and the East Providence Fire Marshals Office during the April 1, 2025 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the February 19, 2025 plan of action 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 Appellant, shall be noted herein. 
2.	The building is 2-story above grade building with a basement level, classified as a business occupancy, consisting of approximately four thousand six hundred nine (4,609) square feet (gross area) and originally built in 1870 as a residence  converted to a business use in the 1950s. 
3.	The building is of Type V (000) construction, will have a compliant local fire alarm system and will not be provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system. 
4.	The Board finds through the testimony of the Appellant that the second floor of this facility is presently unoccupied and will continue to remain so and that the basement of this facility is not normally occupied and is restricted to staff use only for mechanicals and incidental storage. 
5.	The Board further adopts and incorporates by reference the Applicants plan of action dated February 19, 2025, as referenced below.  Any violation or deficiency self-identified within the plan of action and addressed by this Decision shall be subject to correction and enforcement by the AHJ as if cited by the AHJ directly. 
6.	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. 
 
1.	The Board hereby grants the Appellant the following variances as set forth in the February 19, 2025 plan of action: 
a.	Item 1. Headroom clearances 
b.	Item 2. Required separation around hazardous areas (basement and garage) 
c.	Item 3. Existing stairs  winder treads 
d.	Item 4. Existing stairs  dimensions 
e.	Item 5. Existing stair guard  2nd floor 
f.	Item 6. Existing stair lack of landing  rear/2nd 
g.	Item 7. Unenclosed existing stair  front 
2.	In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Appellant to implement and comply with the following conditions, at the direction and to the satisfaction of the East Providence Fire Marshal's Office: 
a.	High-visibility markings to be provided in all areas of reduced headroom clearance identified in Item 1; 
b.	Second floor to remain unoccupied  any future occupancy to be subject to full RILSC compliance; 
c.	Basement access to remain restricted to staff use and access only; 
d.	A single handrail is to be added to any stair lacking handrails; and, 
e.	A local fire alarm system to be installed throughout the facility, including detection in the garage area.  This system shall be deemed a required system, subject to all required inspections, testing and maintenance. 
 
Any deficiency understood by the Board to have been corrected, which is not so corrected, shall be immediately corrected by the Appellant.  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 Appellants 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 Appellant 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 Appellant 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)].