According to Denise Gaffey, the town's acting planning director, the city is interested in getting an affordable housing component into the project. Pembroke is not applying for a comprehensive permit, which would allow it to bypass local zoning laws but would necessitate that 25% of the units be affordable, and there is no inclusionary zoning in Melrose, which in Boston obligates developers to make at least 10% of any residential development affordable. "This will have to be a voluntary agreement on the developer's part," Gaffey tells GlobeSt.com. She notes that Pembroke is looking to make the development "high end" and, she says, "they realize it would have a significant impact on the city."

She says that while a deal has not been completely worked out yet, the city is talking with Pembroke about a combination of 14 affordable units onsite and seed money of $200,000 to create housing elsewhere in the city. Twelve of the acres of Fidelity's land are in Melrose, and 400 of the units will be here. Pembroke made an offer of $2,000 per unit to the city of Malden, which, notes Gaffey, it looks like they are going to accept. Malden has reached the 10% affordable housing requirement while Melrose is at 6.94%. Gaffey says that if the deal with Pembroke works out, Melrose would apply to have these units count toward their affordable housing requirement.

The proposed project is having its last public hearing next week. The developer will need to apply for a special permit because the property comes under three different zoning restrictions. One part of the site is in a residentially zoned area while the other two are zoned for business.