The Brentwood Architecture Review Board voted May 15 to approve plans for a new two‑story, approximately 2,400‑square‑foot house at 2632 Salem, subject to notations in the record about first‑floor elevation and front‑porch/garage relationship intended to reduce the visual prominence of the garage.

Roger Betlak, representing Course Properties, presented the design and materials package for the site near the pond on Salem. Betlak described the house as about 2,400 square feet with stone wainscoting at the front, Harvard slate lap siding and a darker board‑and‑batten accent called “iron stone.” He also described a porch ceiling and carriage‑style garage door in a darker brown tone intended to visually tie the façade together.

Board members focused discussion on two design issues: how the garage sits in front of the porch and the proposed finished‑floor elevation relative to neighboring houses. Paul Turner and other members pressed the applicant on whether the front plane and porch could be pulled forward or the garage slightly recessed to avoid a garage‑first appearance. Turner said he would “like to see it go back a little further” so the porch is more prominent than the garage. The applicant showed that the porch roof projects approximately six inches in front of the garage roof edge at the eave, a detail the board said helps de‑emphasize the garage but remains close to the threshold of the board’s preferred guidance.

Members also reviewed site grades and finished‑floor elevation because the property slopes rearward and the existing house sits lower than neighboring homes. The applicant said raising the new house slightly would help shed water toward the street; board members suggested matching a nearby neighbor’s finished‑floor elevation (noted at roughly 490.4 in plan sheets) if practical to limit the new house’s relative height. The applicant confirmed main floor ceiling heights of 9 feet and second‑floor heights of 8 feet and said he would review finished‑floor elevation to address the board’s input.

Neighbor Alice Holzer, who lives adjacent at 2636, spoke during public comment and asked about tree removal, fence lines, and the proximity of new construction to her property; she also inquired about salvaging a front azalea. Board members and the applicant acknowledged the questions and said the applicant would coordinate with the neighbor on landscaping and fence issues during permit and construction planning.

After discussion, the board moved and voted to approve the plans as noted. Paul Turner moved to approve the submission with the notations about first‑floor elevation and front‑porch/garage relationship; Carl Carlin seconded, and both voted in favor. The approval advances the project to the city building department for formal plan review, which will verify setbacks, impervious cover calculations, finished grades and utility placements, including the location of air‑conditioning units relative to side setbacks.

The applicant was advised to provide a full paper set of plans to the city building office at permit submittal and to resolve final grade and AC location details in that review.