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ANNUAL REPORTS 51 The Planning Board has twice previously considered re- quests for substantially this same change, and upon its ad- verse reports the Town has twice refused to approve it. Up- on this its third consideration of the matter, the Planning Board has again unanimously voted to recommend to the Town that this change be not approved at this time. It does not appear that the fundamental conditions af- fecting the matter have in any material degree changed since it was last considered by the Town. The opposition of the Planning Board to the proposed change is, as formerly, based primarily upon a firm belief that the area already provided for business use is ample, not only for all present needs but for the needs of many years to come, and that to enlarge the area will necessarily lead to a depreciation in value of existing business areas and a progressive deterioration of nearby residential properties. Beyond this primary consideration, which involves a prin- ciple of far-reaching importance affecting the future devel- opment of the Town with respect to its business areas, the Planning Board is moved by other and more immediate con- siderations to recommend that the Town at least defer com- mitting itself to a change at this time. Among these are the following: (1) The petitioner has indicated that he has in mind requesting the withdrawal of certain lands on the southerly side of Massachusetts Avenue from Winthrop Road to the Baptist Church from the Business or C.1 district to an R.1 or residence district and further that he would favor the withdrawal of the land from the Town Buildings to Fletcher Ave. from the C.1 district to an R.1 district. Such changes, the Planning Board feels, deserve the serious consideration of the Town, and should be carefully explored and acted upon before any new area immediately adjacent is set apart for business use. (2) The Russell House property involving an important tract of land adjacent to Town property is now in the mar- ket and its future development is uncertain. Being impor- tant in its influence on general town development the future of this area should not be prejudiced at this time by a change in the status of the property involved in this petition. The Planning Board recognizes the improvements that the petitioner has rnade in the property, and the apparent 52 TOWN OF LEXINGTON fact that the land cannot be turned to as great profit for the owner through residential use as through business use, but would again point out that the land was acquired by the owner while it was in a residential zone with no indication on the part of the Town that its status was to be changed. Respecting the specific business use indicated for this area, should it be changed to a business area, the Planning Board is of the opinion that a filling station would introduce added complications and dangers to both highway and side- walk traffic. Seeing no public necessity with respect to this special use at this location, the Board notes the growing de- mand in neighboring municipalities to exclude such uses from areas in proximity to churches, schools, and public buildings. Respecting the inducements offered in the way of new assessable values, the Board is inclined to discount these considerably in view of the broader considerations and to contemplate the probability of eventual depreciation of the value of mercantile buildings in this area owing to its pe- culiar Iocation. The Planning Board recognizes the desire of residents of the Fletcher Avenue and Woburn Street districts for im- proved street conditions and convenient neighborhood stores, but it should be noted that FIetcher Avenue is now an unac- cepted street and that a business area suitable for neigh- borhood stores is already provided on Woburn Street east of the railroad. The future extension of Sherman Street to Woburn Street with general rearrangements and improve- ments including the possible discontinuance of Fletcher Avenue from the Railroad to Massachusetts Avenue are seen as developments indicating the desirability of deferring any change in the status of the area involved in the present petition. The Planning Board regards this triangular area, just off the principal avenue between two streets and a railroad, and between two areas in which the Town itself has heavy in- vestments, as being of peculiar strategic importance. Changes such as might be involved in the elimination of the Woburn Street grade crossing, or the relayout of Woburn Street as a part of a major state highway development sug- gest that heavy charges for damages might well fall on the Town if this area were to be built upon for business pur- poses. For these reasons the Town should surely maintain at