Your situation in not unique. Any building here requires a permit. In my case, I also needed to petition for a variance first, then the full permit process. I don't know anyone just building without permits. Hire a good architect and the feeling of hell should go away.it is very nice to have all that land and build what ever you like or accommodate your need but where I live there is no such a thing we have to pull permit for every little thing for building a garage will take a year for plan and permit and you go through hell