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This Message Is From an External Sender Use caution when clicking links, attachments, or responding to information requests. Report Suspicious From: Bob Zaniboni To: Evan Balmer Cc: Councilmember Goforth; Allyson Ohman Subject: Community Design Concerns & Code Non-Compliance: Longbow Hotel (ZON26-00419) Date: Friday, May 29, 2026 3:03:25 PM Good afternoon Evan, Through Councilmember Goforth, I have received and reviewed the updated site plan and architectural plan set (ZON26-00419) for the proposed Longbow Hotel project. While the Red Mountain Ranch stakeholder community appreciates the ground-level landscaping, pedestrian sidewalks, and the drive-thru restrictions you secured, we have completed a thorough audit of the building elevations and materials. Since the developer has chosen to advance a 3-story "by-right" model and bypass the higher-tier brand incentive package, the architecture has unfortunately been stripped down to a baseline, budget-tier product. As currently drawn, the building envelope fails to meet the character, material quality, and acoustic mandates set forth in the Mesa 2050 General Plan (Chapter 4) and the Falcon Field Airport Overlay Zone. We request that the Planning Department and the Design Review Board address the following critical non-compliance items before this project moves forward: 1. Mechanical Deficiencies (Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner Wall Vents): Plan sheets 4 and 6 explicitly call out individual Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner (PTAC) wall-vent grilles punctured through the exterior facade beneath every guest window. This mechanical configuration is characteristic of budget roadside motels, not a premier employment core. It directly conflicts with the "Aviation-Contemporary" design mandate. We require a clean, modern facade utilizing centralized rooftop Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units with zero exterior wall penetrations. 2. Material Deficiencies (Substandard Legend): The material matrix on Page 4 relies on a combined 69% smooth stucco and fiber-cement board composition. This material legend mimics standard residential apartment design and lacks the high-quality, durable, and sophisticated aesthetic required by Chapter 4 of the Master Plan for the Falcon District. The cement board siding should be replaced with high-end architectural metal panels or composite rain-screens to give the building true character. 3. Acoustic Non-Compliance (Flight Path Under-Protection): General Note #1 on Page 4 establishes a minimum window rating of Sound Transmission Class 30 (STC-30). An STC-30 rating is standard residential grade and is wholly inadequate for a commercial lodging asset sitting directly underneath active Falcon Field flight paths. To safeguard the guest experience and protect the long-term operational integrity of the airport, the building envelope must be held to a premium acoustic standard of minimum Sound Transmission Class 50 (STC-50). The citizens of Northeast Mesa have worked for over two decades to cultivate an upscale, high-tech image for this corridor. We cannot support a design that settles for a budget aesthetic. Given the structural nature of these architectural and acoustic concerns, I request a meeting with you, your project review team, and Councilmember Goforth's office to discuss how the applicant intends to rectify these deficiencies before a formal Design Review Board hearing is scheduled. We look forward to seeing these building items corrected to align with Mesa's 2050 vision. Best regards, Bob Zaniboni Lead Community Stakeholder for Red Mountain Ranch