BiggerPockets

Coolstarts, been a while since you posted this question, but here are my thoughts. Your question is a bit broad to answer very well. Very generally what you need to do is get a very clear vision of what you intend to do, then develop your plan. Familiarize yourself with the subdivision ordinance of the county you plan to develop in and it will guide you through the steps such as surveying, preliminary plat approval, roads, etc. From that you can begin to get an idea of costs. If you are talking about putting four or five homes on 200 acres that's one thing, and if you are talking about fifty or more homes and a well developed infrastructure, well that's another.

One more thing of note is do not let an ideal set you up to get burned in a business deal. It can happen quite easily if too much importance is placed on the ideal and not enough on the specifics of the business plan. Let your philosophy and ethics guide you in implementing a profitable business venture, and I think your idea can be very profitable.