A slightly smaller expansion plan for Salmon Run Mall was given the green light this week by the Jefferson County Planning Board.

With its approval, the county board referred the plan back to the town of Watertown Planning Board for review.

PLANS SCALED BACK

In May, the town Planning Board approved plans to expand Salmon Run Mall by 124,000 square feet. The modified plan presented to the county board Tuesday would reduce the overall expansion to 118,000 square feet, including free-standing spaces, and an auxiliary parking lot.

The mall is owned by Salmon Run Shopping Center LLC, a subsidiary of Pyramid Cos., Syracuse.

Under the original plan, the mall expansion would have consisted of a 20,000-square-foot space between the former Montgomery Ward building and Dick's Sporting Goods and a 104,000-square-foot space near Gander Mountain.

In July, mall officials presented the Watertown Town Council with a modified expansion plan, under which construction had been separated into two phases and modified to include three free-standing structures.

MORE MOVIES, PARKING

In renderings provided by GYMO Architecture, Engineering & Land Surveying, Watertown, one of the free-standing spaces was identified as Olive Garden. Officials for the restaurant chain have repeatedly said that they do not discuss details of new locations until they have signed contracts for the spaces.

Under the new plan, Phase 1 would consist of a 30,700-square-foot expansion to the existing Regal theater complex, for a total cinema space of 50,000 square feet. Regal Entertainment Group plans to open a 12-screen, 2,000-seat cinema by next spring.

Phase 1 also would include a 362-space ancillary parking lot. The lot would be to the west, beyond the existing ring road.

Once the cinema complex is complete, construction would move into Phase 2, with a 20,000-square-foot addition next to Burlington Coat Factory and a 41,000-square-foot retail space next to the mall.

The new plans include a 7,500-square-foot, free-standing restaurant and two free-standing retail spaces of 10,000 square feet and 8,600 square feet respectively.

Phase 2 also would include an expansion of the ancillary lot, with the final number of spaces yet to be determined.

County Planning Board members expressed some concern about the location of the ancillary parking lot, questioning whether any customers would be willing to park that far away and walk to the mall.

Board Chairwoman Elizabeth R. Lanpher said that having groups of pedestrians walking between the mall and the lot could create safety concerns.

"I can see employers asking employees to park up there, leaving space for customers," she said.

Mall manager Mary P. Dudo, who was at the meeting with GYMO design engineer Brian J. Drake, said the ancillary lot would be dedicated employee parking.

Ms. Dudo said the mall would provide a shuttle system from the parking lot during the busy holiday seasons when customers would be likely to park that far away.

Board members ultimately recommended that mall owners look into building a dedicated pedestrian access from the ring road to the mall.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the county Planning Board referred several projects back to local boards with recommendations but did not formally approve them:

■ A proposal by the town of Adams to rezone five parcels from R1 to AR.

■ A zoning law amendment by the city of Watertown that would prohibit parking in side yards and portions of rear yards abutting public streets in five zoning districts.

■ Freeman Transportation Group's plan to construct a 26,501-square-foot building for office space, vehicle storage and maintenance between routes 232 and 11, town of Watertown.

■ Plans for a new 7,200-square-foot NAPA Auto Parts store on Route 26 in West Carthage.

■ A new 1,600-square-foot building for the Northern Federal Credit Union on Bridge Street in West Carthage.