Some of the machinations required to bring a development proposal to fruition were on display at the city building Thursday morning.

The Uniform Construction Code (UCC) Board of Appeals met to discuss an element of a proposal aimed at bringing a boutique hotel to Warren’s riverfront.

Solicitor Andrea Stapleford said there was some “confusion on the part of the city” where the proposal in places detailed the inclusion — and exclusion — of a sprinkler system.

Ruzhdi Bakalli, the project developer, emphasized that the hotel will have sprinklers — “no question.”

What to do with the rest of the building was the focus of Thursday’s discussion.

William Chittester, the commercial plan review inspector for the city, said that the building code allows fire barriers instead of fire walls in existing buildings. The use of the area on the other side of that barrier, however, impacts the fire rating required.

Discussion centered on a general two hour fire rating being sufficient for much of the building except the area adjacent to a storage space, which would require a three hour rating.

“We are fine with that,” Bakalli said. “(We) want to sprinkle the hotel (and) would never try to get out of” that provision. “Just for the other parts of the building.”

Chittester said the plan “complies with the code as long as (you) have proper fire separation.”

The board of appeals chair, Al Webster, said there was no need for official action by the board and that the developer will “go back to the drawing board” through the normal permitting process.

Council has previously awarded $2 million in funding to the project, supplemented by $250,000 in state Keystone Communities program.

According to the state, that specific award will be “used for renovation of a completely stripped and rehabilitated area of the building. It will include the installation of walls, windows, ceilings, restrooms, HVAC, new exit stairwells, and handicapped accessible facilities including a new elevator and stairs for access to the second floor.”

A proposed timeline from the state would see renovations commence in November and be completed in April with a target date of May for a received “certificate of occupancy for the renovated space.”