Ask Axios: Why does Des Moines allow this street dumpster?

Question: Why does the City of Des Moines allow dumpsters to be parked on the streets for months at a time?

• This dumpster next to Capital Square has been the home [of] vermin and stench for at least 5 years. What is the deal? — Bruce Gast of WDM

State of play: Jason and Linh used to work in Capital Square. We can vouch that a dumpster had been located on Fifth Street between Locust and Walnut streets for years and was still there in April when Bruce asked this question.

• Real Capital Solutions, Capital Square's management company, didn't return our inquiries about the matter.
• So we forwarded Bruce's question to the city's neighborhood services department on April 21 and were updated on several occasions that city staff were looking into it.

Driving the news: The dumpster's longtime tenure on Fifth Street is over.

• After being contacted about the dumpster, Capital Square's management notified the city that it is being removed, Devin Perry, a DSM spokesperson told us last week.

Of note: If plans change, owners will need to obtain a permit to relocate the dumpster on the street, Perry said.