Condo developers are sometimes despised, especially in long-established neighbourhoods mostly made up of single-family homes. This is typical in Vancouver, where residents fight developers and city hall over plans to rezone properties and construct high-rise residential buildings.

It’s a different situation in one Burnaby neighbourhood that is already packed to begin with.

A number of residents in the Maywood area want taller and bigger developments, and they’ve petitioned the city to make it happen. In their letter, the residents, who describe themselves as property owners, suggested changing the land-use designation of the north side of Imperial Street—between Willingdon Avenue to the west and Nelson Avenue to the east—from medium density to high density. According to them, this will allow “more growth and more commercial opportunity along Imperial Street”.

The north side of Imperial Street between Willingdon and Nelson Avenues is mostly low-rise apartment buildings of four storeys. On the south of the street are mainly single-family homes.

The residents stated in their petition that buildings are “old and outdated” on the north side of Imperial Street. “The costs of maintenance are too high for the owners to bear,” they wrote. “The owners cannot afford the costs of building renovation or re-development.”

According to them, developers cannot make an offer to property owners unless the land-use designation in the area is changed.

Curiously, all 17 signatories to the petition indicated Dow Avenue, which is several blocks east of Willingdon Avenue, as their address. Based on copies of the petition included in the February 28 city-council agenda, none of the petitioners live on the north side of Imperial Street.

The Dow Avenue petitioners also told the city that the redevelopment of the north side of Imperial Street is necessary for the future of Metrotown. They are referring to a plan approved by city council in May 2016 to establish Metrotown as the “true downtown” of Burnaby.

The City of Burnaby is updating the community plan for Metrotown as part of transforming this town centre. It’s bordered by Boundary Road and Central Park to the west, Royal Oak Avenue to the east, Imperial Street to the south, and Bond and Dover streets to the north.

In their petition, the Dow Avenue residents said Imperial Street would look like an “outdated old town” if properties are not redeveloped. “It would make Metrotown Downtown not as modern as the plan designs to be,” they wrote.

According to a city neighbourhood profile, Maywood is densely packed. Ninety-nine percent of homes are high- and low-rise apartment buildings and townhouses. Maywood is bounded by Boundary Road to the west, Nelson Avenue and Bennett and Bonsor streets to the east, Grange Street and Kingsway to the north, and Imperial Street to the south.