Buying & Building a Beach Volleyball Facility: Part 4 Zoning & Permitting. WHAT A MESS!
Buying & Building a Beach Volleyball Facility: Part 4 - Zoning & Permitting. WHAT A MESS!
This series is designed to walk you step by step, through every process, problem and thought I have as I build out my dream beach volleyball facility. Part 4 walks you through the early stages of my experience with the zoning and permitting process and reveals why government bureaucracy might be the biggest opponent I've faced yet.
I am documenting the entire process for 4 main reasons:
1) To teach, help and inspire other people who want to do something similar.
2) To clear up my thoughts. When I write, it gives me clarity.
3) Generate support and buzz for when we actually open!
4) I might need you, the reader, at some point along the way.
If you haven't read Part 3 - Finding a Property. Click this link and check it out. You'll want to understand how I found this incredible property before diving into the regulatory nightmare that followed.
The Zoning Reality Check: When Dreams Meet Red Tape
Remember that perfect property I found? The one with the manicured backyard, three buildings, and endless potential? Well, turns out the government had some opinions about my volleyball dreams.
You figure, buy a place or lease it, lay down some sand, stock the fridge with beer and let's play volleyball and make some money!
Right?
Not so fast. Every city and county has strict rules about what type of business can go where. They are strict, yes, but they are also up for conversation and local governments can grant approval, but it is a process.
The property I found is zoned IS - Industrial Suburban. That means, it's already cleared for a lot of business types. So when we submitted our offer, we were pretty confident it would be smooth sailing.
The lists of zones and permitable uses on city websites are long, confusing, and written by people who clearly never had to actually USE them. It's like trying to decode ancient hieroglyphics while blindfolded. The only way to make sense of it is to have someone walk you through it, and even then, you'll probably still need a translator. Some agents know these by heart but even if you do have a unicorn of an agent you still have to clear it with the city and county.
Why I Hate Calling Government Agencies (But Had To Anyway)
I don't know why I try to avoid government agencies. Probably because I've had such terrible experiences with them in the past. In my experience, they've been slow, restrictive, and have stood in my way for building things I want to build. True entrepreneurs loves speed. So naturally I bump heads with people and agencies that can't get things done fast.
But here's the thing - they're unavoidable. Like death, taxes, and your weird uncle at family reunions.
So I got over my discomfort and started making calls and writing emails.
The Phone Call That Changed Everything
You can generally find the phone numbers and email addresses by googling "(your City) zoning and permitting." Pro tip: bookmark this page because you'll be visiting it more than your favorite coffee shop.
I had to explain my entire project and everything I wanted to do, then ask them what uses my facility falls under. Sounds simple? It wasn't.
Here's what I learned: In my case, the only thing I needed to get a "Special Exception" for was the ONLY thing that actually matters - outdoor beach volleyball courts. In St. Pete, this falls under "Outdoor Recreation." So does the pool, jacuzzi, sauna and cold plunge which we have planned.
Getting Passed Around Like a Hot Potato
I got passed around a bit (shocking, I know), but eventually learned I needed to schedule an appointment for a pre-application meeting for the Special Exception. This was actually a pretty helpful Zoom meeting where I told them about the project and they explained what it would fall under and how I would get it cleared.
But they didn't exactly give me a step-by-step process. Or rather, they gave me a step-by-step that I couldn't clearly understand. It was like getting directions from someone who's never actually driven the route themselves.
The Learner's Mindset: Your Secret Weapon
I'm used to stepping into roles and spaces where I don't know how to do something because I'm a lifetime learner. If you aren't, I'd say starting a business like this isn't for you, and maybe you should consider turning back now.
Entrepreneurialism doesn't favor the meek and it certainly doesn't favor people who use "I don't know how do to it" as a reason to stop doing something. My friend Anne Mahlum who opened her fitness concept, SOLIDCORE in 100 locations inside a year and had a 98 MILLION DOLLAR EXIT shares this in a lot of her podcasts and speeches:
When she started fundraising, there were a lot of terms and abbreviations being tossed around that she didn't know. The people who kept talking over her head, she decided not to work with. The people who took the time to help her understand all the Private Equity technical terminology, were the ones who got to come along for the ride.
If you need to hire or partner with someone and they don't take the time to help you actually understand their industry terms and conditions, ditch them. If they are an unavoidable gatekeeper, find someone who has done it before and make them your friend so you can call and ask them.
Through my pro volleyball career, my travels and my company, I've been lucky enough to meet dozens of people from virtually every industry. When I started thinking more like a business man than a volleyball player/coach, I got intentional with the people I converse and hang out with.
I actually assembled and still maintain a private Whatsapp group of high level entrepreneurs who I really get along with. I figured, I already like hanging out with you. You love volleyball and if we talk more, and stay connected, we can all help each other at some point down the road. A Whatsapp group like that is a gold mine. Every time someone needs a unique solution for their next move, the message the group and either get an answer from it or get a connection that gives them their next step.
If you don't have that inner circle, start building it!
In the meantime, you can always ask ChatGPT to explain things like "IRR" and "multiples" as if you were a second grader and give you multiple examples.
So anyway, what does a "learner" do? ASKS QUESTIONS!
- How do I do that?
- What do these words mean?
- Do you have the name and phone number of the exact person I need to call?
- What happens if...?
- How long does this typically take?
- What are the most common reasons applications get rejected?
The city departments are actually supposed to HELP YOU while also following the rules. But some people need extra nudges to be extra helpful. So I'm not shy with my questions and my follow-ups. Anytime I want a meeting with someone and they say "just pick a time on my calendar", I book the time but then I'll also call them and/or leave another message saying "I booked the time, but if you're free today, or you get a cancellation, I'm ready any time you are."
When writing emails, I also try to think of every question I would have down the line, if they give me a half answer or a short one. Because trust me, they will give you lots of short, half-answers. Not everyone has been on both sides and not everyone is a master of customer service.
The Pre-Application Meeting: A Glimmer of Hope
The pre-application meeting was like finding an oasis in the desert of bureaucracy. Finally, someone who seemed to understand what I was trying to do!
They explained that my outdoor volleyball courts would need special approval because they fall under "Outdoor Recreation, which requires additional considerations for:
- Noise levels
- Operating hours
- Parking requirements
- Lighting restrictions
- Neighbor notifications
- Storm water drainage
Each bullet point felt like another hurdle, but at least now I could see the track.
What They Don't Tell You About Zoning Exceptions
Here's what nobody mentions: getting a zoning exception isn't just about your property. It's about how your business affects the entire neighborhood.
The city wants to know:
- Will you create traffic problems?
- Are you going to be too loud?
- Do you have enough parking?
- What are your hours of operation?
- How will this impact property values?
These aren't unreasonable questions, but they require detailed answers that take time to research and document.
The Documentation Nightmare
Want to know what's worse than not knowing what you need? Finding out you need 47 different documents, each from a different department, and half of them require information from the other half.
It's like a bureaucratic Rubik's cube designed by someone who hates entrepreneurs.
My Strategy for Surviving the Process
After a couple days of this madness, I developed a system:
-
Document Everything: Every phone call, every email, every person you talk to. Trust me on this. Don't just leave it in your messy inbox because you are going to have dozens of threads you need to reference. Copy paste all the important conversations into a google doc and put the positions, names, emails, and phone numbers into a google sheet.
-
Ask for Names and Direct Numbers: Don't just get transferred. Get the actual person's name and direct line.
-
Follow Up in Writing: After every phone conversation, send an email summarizing what was discussed. I also ask, "Is there anything I missed? If you were in my shoes, would this be your next three actions?"
-
Be Persistently Polite: These people hold your dreams in their hands. Kill them with kindness.
-
Prepare for the Long Game: This isn't a sprint. It's a marathon through quicksand.
The Reality Check Every Facility Owner Needs
If you're thinking about building your own facility, understand this: the zoning and permitting process will test every ounce of patience you have. It will make you question your sanity, your business plan, and your life choices.
But here's the thing - every successful facility owner has been through this exact same nightmare. The ones who make it are the ones who refuse to give up.
What's Next in This Bureaucratic Adventure
I'm still in the thick of this process, but I'm learning that persistence pays off. Each conversation gets me a little closer to understanding what I need to do.
The next step? Submitting my formal application for the outdoor recreation exception.
Again, they don't give you phone numbers or explicit instructions. So I asked "What professional do I need to get to the next step. Do you know anyone? Or at least what I should type into a google search?"
Here was the reply which was helpful but also made me react in the sane way a legal intern might on their first day when a lawyer drops four 3-foot stacks of paper on their desk and says "These are discovery documents for the Morrison case. I need you to go through everything, flag anything relevant to liability, and create a summary memo.
--Questions on number of parking spaces required should be directed to city zoning department. Generally parking spaces need to be firm, stable, and slip-resistant for accessibility. There may be some options for permeable parking spaces. Once total number of requires spaces is determined, applicant must demonstrate min required number of accessible parking spaces per FBC-Accessibility, Table 208.2.
--A proposed engineered complete set of civil-site plans will be required to be formally submitted for a site work only permit for all site alterations and generally includes: existing conditions site plan, proposed site plan, appropriate construction details for grading, parking/paving, underground utilities, stormwater management, landscaping/irrigation.
--Contact the Fire Dept directly with questions related to the Fire Dept review.
--I suggest applying for the Outdoor Recreation Special Exception Application first, and if/when that is approved, then submit for the civil-site work permit to address all site requirements for the change of use. You do not need any paperwork from the building department for that.
--Then work to each physically-separate building/structure/pool will be under a separate cover and permit.
--The building department does not offer direct-email plan review, once the project is designed, owner/applicant will want to file an application for permit (attached) using city’s ePlan system.
So that's 6 different sets of instructions, and I need to connect with or hire SIX different people/departments.
I decided to start with finding a Civil Engineering Firm who could get me started. I did what I usually do when hiring for a service. I copy pasted an email to 7 different companies so I can choose a winner based on expertise, thorough responses, good conversations and their overall presentation. I did explain to them all that I specifically need someone who can walk me step by step through every process.
Mind you, I still don't actually have the property. This time and money is going towards TRYING to get approval for everything I want to do so that I know I can actually do the business I want to at that property. Depending on how you look at it, this is a significant gamble or a significant investment.
Then, I'm still trying to get SBA approval and complete a deck for investors so I have two financing options.
Time is running out every day though. When I saw everything I had to do and their timelines, I went back to my agent and said, there's no way I'll be able to close in two and a half months when just the approval process takes a minimum of 8 weeks. Pushing back the closing date makes the sellers nervous so anytime we re-negotiate the contract, they think it's because I'm not confident I'll actually purchase it.
I am going full steam ahead though. Preparing for my loan or investor raise while hiring and scheduling every person I need to get this done!
The Lesson Every Entrepreneur Should Remember
Government bureaucracy isn't designed to help entrepreneurs. It's designed to protect the status quo. But that doesn't mean it's impossible to navigate - it just means you need to be smarter, more persistent, and more prepared than the average person.
And honestly? If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.
Beach Volleyball Facility Investment Opportunities ($60,000 Minimum)
Ready to follow my facility journey?
- Join my email list to get every update as I build this dream
- Get on the investor list for returns in perpetuity (minimum investment $60,000)
Coming up in Part 5: How Much Money Do Facilities Actually Bring In?
