A hearing involving the above-captioned property was conducted on Tuesday, July 29, 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 Muto, Walsh, Horan & Mancini. 
AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION [AHJ]: State Fire Marshal Scott Hampson of the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office. 
APPELLANT: Julie Larivee. 
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 Derek Larivee (authorized representative) of 19 Old Pound Hill Road, North Smithfield, RI dated June 14, 2025. 
3.	The Application was processed by the Board and Appeal  2025085 was filed on June 20, 2025. 
4.	The matter was most recently before the Board on or about August 27, 2024 at which time Decision  2024099 was issued dated September 12, 2024. 
5.	A hearing on the Application was conducted on July 29, 2025 at 1:00 PM before the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review. 
6.	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 Horan and seconded by Commissioner Walsh 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  2025085 and are pertinent to the decision rendered: 
 
1.	Appeal Application  FVA-25-85 submitted on June 14, 2025 and filed on June 20, 2025. 
a.	Resolution of authorization for Autumnfest Steering Committee from Woonsocket City Council dated December 2, 2024. 
2.	Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office Plan Review Report dated May 27, 2025. 
3.	Decision  2024099 dated September 12, 2024. 
 
EXHIBITS 
 
The following documents were presented at the July 29, 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 Decision below corresponds with the May 27, 2025 plan review report compiled by the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office.  The above report was utilized by the Board, the Appellant and the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office during the July 29, 2025 hearing on this matter.  Accordingly, the Board hereby incorporates the May 27, 2025 plan review report as its initial findings of fact.  Any modification of the Boards findings, such as correction of a deficiency by the Appellant, shall be noted herein. 
2.	The event in question is a three-day festival held in Woonsockets WWII Veterans Memorial Park over the Columbus Day weekend. 
3.	The Board finds through the testimony of the AHJ that written event protocols are provided by the AHJ to each individual vendor prior to the commencement of the festival. 
4.	The Board acknowledges the support of the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office to the granting of the relief outlined herein and incorporates by reference the conditions set forth in their plan of action review for all food booths producing smoke and/or grease-laden vapors, including: 
a.	Metal hoods and exhaust fans above fryolators; 
b.	Approved separation between neighboring cooking areas; 
c.	Approved fire-rated, non-flammable surroundings; 
d.	Approved K fire extinguisher; 
e.	Approved ABC fire extinguisher; and, 
f.	Approved 10-foot spacing between food booths. 
 
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 a variance from the provisions of RIFC sections 50.4.3 and 50.4.4 by allowing the proposed food booths to engage in cooking operations without requiring automatic fire suppression systems, subject to the conditions set forth in Findings of Fact paragraph 4 above. 
2.	In consideration of the relief granted herein, the Board directs the Applicant to ensure that all of the following conditions are met: 
a.	All mobile food establishments (food trucks) shall be inspected and approved by the RI OSFM and RI DBR; 
b.	All food booths shall be inspected each morning of the festival prior to the commencement of cooking operations and deemed safe by the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office; and, 
c.	A firefighter detail(s) in accordance with RILSC section 13.7.6 shall be provided as required by the Woonsocket Fire Marshals Office. 
3.	This relief is limited to the three-day 2025 Autumnfest festival only and any future request for relief shall be addressed and considered at that time. 
 
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)].