Iowa community fridge forced to relocate after complaint to the city, zoning issues
By Lauren Johnson
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — One person’s complaint to the city is forcing the Sweet Tooth Community fridge to relocate.
“The last thing we should be doing right now is taking away access to food,” said Aubrey Alvarez with Eat Greater Des Moines.
The complaint came in on Monday — saying those who visit the food pantry are playing loud music or their children are too loud.
“Unfortunately for the complainant, the fridge won’t stop those things. I wish the person who was frustrated would have contacted us directly to try and mitigate some of their frustrations,” said Monicka Owczarski, the owner of Sweet Tooth Farms.
But the city says it was only a matter of time before the the fridge had to be moved.
The plot of land that it sits on is not zoned for the fridge to be there.
The community garden behind it is zoned for the plot, but a lease agreement signed between Sweet Tooth Farm and the city doesn’t allow for the fridge.
“Once I got into it and found out the lease wasn’t written to allow it and the zoning wasn’t written, I would have been working with them on a relocation plan. It’s just that the complaint sped it up,” said SuAnn Donovan the deputy director of neighborhood services with the city.
The search is now on to find a new, permanent home for the fridge — a few local organizations have expressed interest in housing it.
But organizers are upset with this news.
The fridge had been keeping their neighbors fed since December of last year — only to be taken out by a noise complaint.
“This has been working. I think having only one complaint about noise in the neighborhood, that’s an incredible actually feat to get from December to now with no complaints,” Alvarez said.
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