I see this shit all the time. My last adventure was when three people across the alley didn't want me to build three stories. Never mind that that's what the property was zoned for.
They all got their houses cheaper because they were right across the alley from an R-4 (maximum density) zone. Once they owned them, they just didn't want anyone to be allowed to build that high, even if it was within code.
Here's the appropriate way to deal with people who want to tell other people what to do with their own property:
