WOBURN - The city's Special Permits Committee recommended favorable action on a proposal that would modify a previously approved residential development at 37 Kilby Street.

With a copy of the Planning Board's recent decision, which similarly gave the nod for the special permit, the City Council committee was satisfied that previous concerns expressed by Fire Chief Paul Tortolano over site access and egress had been satisfied.

According to local attorney Mark Salvati, who represents petitioner East Shore, LLC, the property's parking layout has been reconfigured to ensure that firefighting apparatus can access the rear portion of the property.

"The original proposal has two more parking spaces than what is [now planned]. So it went from 18 spaces to 16 based on the Fire Chief's recommendation," said Salvati, explaining that the alterations provide additional space for fire engine and ladder trucks to pass by.

Presently, the Kilby Street property contains a six-unit building, a single-family home, and a two-family structure in the middle.

According to the original modified special permit request, the petitioner sought to tack a deck onto the rear of the six-unit building and erect a second floor on top of the two-family home.

However, after ongoing discussions with Planning Board Director Edmund Tarallo and other city officials, several aspects of that proposal were either dropped or altered.

"The original petition called for a deck where the fire escape was [on the six-unit building]. But that didn't work out in the grand scheme of things so that was withdrawn," the attorney said.

"We're also blocking off a driveway where there used to be a whole loop. You could pull around and drive around all the buildings. But we're going to split that up so that the [single-family] house looks like it's on a [separate] lot," Salvati added.

Although East Shore, LLC, originally obtained permissions for a residential development at the site, the developer learned that the two-family home located in the center of the property had fallen into serious disrepair.

Requiring the petitioner to tear down that building, Salvati has argued that a second floor needs to be added so that the project remains financially feasible.

Currently containing two-units, the one-bedroom dwellings would be reconfigured so that a second bedroom could be added onto each of the townhouse style residences.

A City Council hearing on the proposal has now been scheduled for its Tuesday, April 18 meeting.