The one thing I will say is that in reading a lot and watching a lot of podcasts the one thing a lot of the more prominent investors who have 500 plus units say is that the one thing they regret is the deals they flipped early for cheap profit or the deals that they sold and did not keep.

since as part of the project you are going to need an architect and civil engineer, I recommend starting with them and ask them who they have worked with for zoning.

Inspections are typically done by licensed professionals like structural engineers, architects, or certified building inspectors.

A very prominent loan officer in NJ was charged recently for helping borrowers do just this. 

I recently earned my real estate agent license in California, and I'm just one exam away from becoming a licensed architect here as well.

And if they are a hobbyist/part-time builder, then they should engage the proper professionals, i.e. a title officer, civil engineer, architect, contractor et al to assist in reviewing the project's feasibility.

Then work with an architect for design.

I ended up hiring an architect for floor plans and to deal with the city.

I'd recommend a project manager or architect if your budget can afford one.

Quote from @Jared W Smith: In commenting on your 2nd point, an Architect familiar with development vs an Architect that does other types of work each have different skill sets @Robert Frazier.