WOBURN - With limited debate, the Planning Board this week gave a favorable vote to the amended special permit plans for Applebee's to expand the footprint of its proposed North Woburn location.

According to Mark Vaughan, an attorney with the Burlington offices of Riemer & Braunstein representing the applicant, the foot print is only increasing about 800 square feet.

But, he added, the actual seating capacity will be reduced from 234 to 198 .

He said that when plans were first drawn up for revamping the entire plaza (including the Super Stop & Shop, the liquor store, and a new retail use) the plans for the restaurant were mainly conceptual as no formal arrangements had been made with any particular restaurant.

At the time, Vaughan said, "the focus was on the supermarket. We didn't know which restaurant it would be."

The Applebee's, Vaughan noted, likes to have a more spacious layout, allowing diners more room to enjoy their meals.

Part of the reason for the expanded floor plan, he added, was a determination from the building commissioner that a walk-in freezer (368 square feet) to the rear of the building should be calculated into the final footprint.

Vaughan said the seats are going down more than the footprint is going up and he added that generally, it is the number of seats which generate the traffic.

He termed Applebee's a family-style restaurant along the lines of the a 99 Restaurant or a Ground Round.

Asked by board member Michael Ventresca when the facility plans to open, Vaughan and other representatives of Applebee's listed a fairly aggressive building schedule.

If and when the revised special permits are received, it is hoped construction can start this fall and be completed sometime in early 2003.

One concern listed by the board was parking as the special permit allows for excess parking along the supermarket side of the ring road through the plaza.

Vaughan said the original special permit was heavily conditioned in this area, requiring a 12-foot wide, specially painted crosswalk with a pedestrian traffic light.

The board also suggested that employees be required to park in the overflow area and that signs be installed informing customers of the additional parking on the other side of the ring road.

Chair Paul Doherty asked what was being taken up by the addition to the footprint of the building, namely was it green space or parking.

Vaughan said the building will be a little closer to the rear lot line, but added that it is still in compliance with all relevant zoning regulations.

Doherty also listed his concern with the condition of the property between the ring road and Route 128 alongside the Middlesex Canal. Of chief concern is the ever-present trash in the brush and trees.

Vaughan explained this matter is fairly complicated as much of this is not on Applebee's property, but on conservation land, and there are restrictions as to how much they can do.

He said efforts will be made to pick up the general trash on a regular basis per a condition of the original special permit.

There was also some discussion on the landscaping plans for the restaurant with the board voting, as it generally does, to retain jurisdiction over landscaping.

In addition to the request updating the special permit, Applebee's also has a request for a liquor license before the License Commission.