Gaithersburg's City Council and Planning Commission are giving the thumbs down to a redesign of The Vistas, a development proposed next to Quince Orchard Park in the city's west end.

After the developer decreased the number of houses by more than 20 percent, council members said the new plan lacks good road plans and vision.

"What you've created is putting homes in every possible place you can put one, and some areas where you couldn't put them in, you fit them in anyway," Mayor Sidney A. Katz said at a work session Monday night. "Consequently, it's just not a good plan."

This is the second time the design has gone before the two groups.

The council and residents complained in December about too many houses and too few amenities in the original plan.

The design presented Monday reduced housing from 125 units to 95 units on the 13 acres, and proposed additional amenities, including a basketball court and tennis court.

But council members suggested reducing the housing even more, to 75 units, and told planners to re-evaluate making almost half of the roads in the community alleys, which the homeowners association would have to maintain.

"It's unrealistic and too burdensome to expect this small community to keep up those alleys," said Councilwoman Blanche Keller.

The city does not maintain private roads or plow snow from them.

The developer's representatives defended the number of houses, saying that the Corridor Cities Transitway, a proposed light rail or bus transit system, would travel past the community.

"This is where you want the density," said Stephen Orens, an attorney representing the developer.

More than a dozen residents attended the work session to show their concern for the project, which many said would cause crowded roads.

Quince Orchard Park, a 504-house, 70-acre community that The Vistas would abut, considered annexing the smaller development, said Troy Kennedy, president of Quince Orchard Park.

With the current plan, it isn't an option, he said.

"Quite frankly, [the alleys, which would be costly] has been the big sticking point," he said.

Katz added that the lack of public roadways was the biggest flaw.

"When the project is completed, you will walk away from it and the city of Gaithersburg will be having to deal with a tremendous problem not only for ourselves but for the citizens who will be buying there," he said.

Representatives for the developer said after the meeting that they were surprised the new plan met so much resistance.

The developer, Churchill Development Corp., will revamp the plan.

"The mayor and council were clear about their concerns," said Greg Ossont, director of planning and code. "The ball's now in their court."