Have you used or hired any people knowledgable with zoning, or know folks on the zoning board, and this would make a big difference. And since very day wasted costs you money as you said, then all the more reason to get some help.

I've done renovations requiring permits, filing building plans, and getting zoning approval, and I once had inital plans turned down, but because I had someone working on it, he knew where to go to file appeals, so I didn't waste time running in circles. I hired someone who hired architects to draw up the building plans, review the local zoning, file for the permits, and handle appeals, i.e. the whole process.

I did not need "heavy hitters" in my appeal which you might, but my guy told me sometimes his clients had to get the local representatives involved to get the zoning, and buildings department moving, so it's really a political process as your competitor knows. Since you are not dealing on it as a political issue, your competitor is, they have you running round and round in circles with building inspectors, and low level people in the building departments.

In one of my renovations, my plans were initially turned down, but my guy went over the reviewers head and got the approval of the assistant buildings commissioner, who signed off on it, so I didn't have to go through a zoning variance. I paid this expert less than $2,000, and he saved me far more than that, in fees alone.