I'd just run your numbers on the new development i.e. how much can you get land for, building permits, water/sewer hook-ups, etc. 

The problem is that there constantly seems to be fees being charged to me an example of this is in the contract  there is an additional 100 dollars allocated to sewer and water that the tenant automatically pays every month with rent and anything outside of it should be billed to the customer (there is no specificed time when this will occur on the contract) but it appears to be billed to me and after speaking to IIP it's like they made up rule on the spot stating that after 6 months all of the additional utility fees would be billed to the customer and in the meantime I am being charged for it.

A few of the hotels there have where you buy/own the actual unit and you become part of the "rental pool" & get monthly dividends based on how well the hotel does..this one sounds similar.

Commercial space rent in the area for similar properties is $3000-$4000/mo but property taxes annually are $25k+, insurance $6k+ and other expenses such as trash, water, heat & electric, etc. 

If it is not there, they are limiting your pool of renters..and potentially great tenants.2.

City water and sewer, 55+ parks are a dream investment.

Tenants pay for gas and electric, owner pays for water.

I didn't get a lot of water and it was all manageable by the tenants, but given this happened I want to try to understand the reason and where to look (e.g., do I need to install a new/ better sump pump). 

For example, in a mountain market you may not need a pool but here in phoenix its a must for an str.

You need to have enough money, probably in the $100-150k, amount to put the property under contract, and do the feasibility study on the property, Phase 1 Environmental, Property Drawings for roads, water sewer, and utilities, and have a completed budget so you know what your costs are.At that point you can go out and attract investors, I don't thing that developing raw land is necessarily cheaper than buying discounted finished lots.