If you look at the photo, this appears to be a solid surface countertop. This does not indicate that there were mounting holes in the sink. Though you can not absolutely tell from the photo, it appears as if this may be an undermount to solid surface sink, w/o any holes. The placement of any additional devices, such as a soap dispenser or dispensers, an air switch for disposal and or a water spigot for hot water or RO water needs to be done to accommodate what's there. My own homes since 1992 have had a number of sinks installed and all of them were rimless undermounts.
My new home here did not have an air switch or soap dispenser. However, I hired the countertop guys who were working next door to bring over their diamond drill and drill two holes for me. The first thing they did is clear out the undersink, check for all the plumbing lines, and sink mount hardware and then they told me where the holes could go. Took them but a few minutes but they checked for what was there, didn't tell me to "move this--".
There is an interpretation that plumbers are following to the installation of AAVs. which explains what you are seeing. You don't have to like it, and you can even tell an inspector to go pound sand. When they have been placed in my homes by licensed plumbers, they have been placed not necessarily the 4" above the drain line as per IPC 918.4.; they have been placed pretty much as the OP has shown here: higher than the flood level rim of the fixture being vented. That's another way of saying "as high as possible." My new house here has something more in line with that code; the kitchen sink drain has a Studor AAV 4" above the drain line. My prior homes had them up high as shown in the OP's photo. Maybe it depends on where in the country it's being done. Can't tell you. Just can tell you what I've seen in my own homes.
No master plumber is going to do anything for $3.00 and do anything in 10 minutes.
And as the OP said about a new soap dispenser, "this definitely will be a much better option."
