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Disagreements between the County Council and planning officials on the draft sector plan for Germantown's employment corridor may point to greater challenges down the road for more controversial plans in Gaithersburg West and White Flint, Council transportation committee members said.

Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson asked the committee to remand the sector plan, which is expected to be approved by the Council by the end of the year, back to the board for further work at the committee's final worksession on Tuesday. Hanson said he was concerned about zoning changes, removing requirements for infrastructure improvements to be in place before high levels of growth can occur and increasing the amount of development allowed surrounding the Germantown Town Center.

"The general function of the plan was to create a strong employment corridor, a strong town center and distinct neighborhoods, and I think we're losing that," Hanson said.

The committee rebuffed the request, saying they did not see a compelling reason to delay approval of the plan.

"At this point, I think we're delaying for the sake of delaying," said committee Chairman and Councilman Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown. There has been little controversy associated with the Germantown sector plan, which addresses the community's underdeveloped commercial district, compared to the Gaithersburg and White Flint plans.

"It really doesn't set ourselves up for what the really challenging plans are, Gaithersburg West and White Flint. This is the easy one," Knapp said. "…We need to try to sell a vision of what our county can be and what it'll look like, and we're already starting to stumble."

Councilman Marc Elrich (D-At large) of Takoma Park and deputy transportation policy Director Edgar Gonzalez said that some staging is needed to provide for transportation improvements, which they said have failed to keep pace with growth. At least $1.5 billion in transportation projects are included in the sector plan with no indication of how they will be funded, they said.

"The plan is in balance because of the interchanges, because of the Corridor Cities Transitway, because of the widening of Interstate 270. If these [proposed] projects are not included in the staging process, how do we make sure citizens aren't stuck in traffic forever?" Gonzalez said. "…You tell me how you're going to find $2 billion in 30 years and I'll be happy."

The County Council is scheduled to begin its work on the draft sector plan this month. For more information, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/council/index.asp or www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/germantown/GermantownForward.shtm.