Planning



Residential neighborhoods
Commercial Projects
Mixed Use

MWA Inc, brings creativity, experience and expertise to help navigate the often complicated and expensive planning & entitlement process unique to the Truckee and Tahoe areas. Understanding the small town politics and history of complex governing documents has proven valuable to many of our clients. We assemble teams of experienced and respected consultants as appropriate to garner success and value.

It is common to find land planners within civil engineering and landscape architecture firms with whom we often collaborate. Having the creative minds of the architects on the project early can offer an extra layer of perspective. Kurt Reinkens having been active in Truckee planning since 1987 and having served on the Town of Truckee Planning Commission, has gained valuable knowledge of the workings within Town Hall. The 30+ years of working within the Tahoe Basin on TRPA governed projects also has proven value. The experiences and insight have resulted in success with what were deemed controversial or complex projects.

The Sierra Business Council published “A Commercial and Mixed-Use Handbook” which includes the MWA project of (The Rock link) as a case study exemplifying a mixed-use neighborhood commercial project as a superior solution in the Sierra as compared to the traditional strip mall. A digital copy of the handbook can be requested online at: https://www.sierrabusiness.org/archives/a-commercial-and-mixed-use-handbook/

Grocery Outlet
Grocery Store and Workforce Housing
Truckee-The Rock
Award winning commercial mixed-use project






I would be pleased to be a reference for MWA. You have designed two houses that I have been involved with.

The first on lot 137 in Lahontan was a custom house for my wife and me. This house was designed for our needs and to meet the stringent requirements of the Lahontan Design Guidelines. We achieved our program goals, Lahontan Design Review Approval, and a building permit. We sold the lot, building plans and the building permit to a speculative developer who built the house with some modifications.

Last year we purchased a house which was built on spec by a developer. MWA designed that house. We were not “in the market” for a house, but happened to walk through an open house. We fell in love with your design. The house was well sited for views and privacy, very bright inside (an unusual situation in Lahontan), and fit our life style perfectly. Twenty three days later we owned this house. My wife and I are moving to this house and Truckee full time as of November 1st.

I would strongly recommend MWA to anyone designing a house in the Truckee/Tahoe area.


-- Rick Stephens
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