We have a hydraulic Sunstream lift (
http://www.sunstreamcorp.com/Sunlift.htm) for our 26' Formula. It is powered by a marine battery that is recharged by a small solar panel, all contained in one box that sits on the doc and connects to the lift via a couple of hoses. We got the lift some years ago at Watermark. The permitting process back then was pretty simple, but I don't know what you have to do now.
We have Winnipesaukee Marine come by and put our lift in in the spring and take it out in the fall. We leave it out on our dock during the winter (we have a large dock). But, a few (4 or 5?) strong guys could do that in/out work too - our situation is complicated because the lift is placed inside the U of a U-shaped dock, so we can't just drag in into the water from the beach, as the water outside the U is pretty deep. We would have to float it and swim it in. It is easier to just have a crane lift it and place it. YMMV.
We love the lift! It has a remote control and is very easy to use; we can raise and lower it from the boat. On rough days it is worth its weight in gold as our boat stays secure even in the worst weather.
Good luck!
Frank