You're missing the "and their constituents want it" part. That empty lot and McDonald's might meet all the standards, but if your voting base is too NIMBY, you're not going to allow them. These organizations using public resources as storage space are both creating a cost for communities and thus their politicians, _and_ the citizens of many citizens are turning against them because of all the externalities they are generating.

When you meet an asshole you've met an asshole. When you meet assholes all day, you're probably the asshole. These dockless companies are complaining about everyone's reaction to them, which is making me think they might just be assholes