As the city continues to weigh its options for a solid waste transfer station, Roanoke Rapids Public Works Director Richard Parnell said no negotiations for buying land are under way.

While initial estimates place building a facility to be $700,000, that price does not include buying land, Parnell said Wednesday.

If the city ultimately decides to build a transfer station, price of the land would be dependent on how much the city needs.

One site the city is considering buying is 30 acres and while it would need about 10 acres of land, city council could very well decide to buy more to use for softball and soccer fields.

Parnell said city council will be constantly updated on the proposed project.

While there is opposition to the proposal, the city sees the facility as a potential revenue source.

According to a memo from City Manager Paul Sabiston to city council, the initial projections for revenues and expenses are based on a total volume 28,000 tons of solid waste per year.

The city’s own residential solid waste and debris accounts for approximately 7,200 tons per year, the remainder an estimate of the commercial waste in the city, the memo says.

The city estimates an increase in revenues over expenses with a transfer station of $102,071 to $282,814. “This gain in annual net income is greater than the original memorandum provided to you as a result of the interest rate for a loan has dropped from 4 percent to the new market rate of 3.05 percent and the term of the loan for the repayment of the facility was extended from 10 years to 20 years in accord with traditional loan terms for such facilities,” the memo states.

Cost of the transfer station, according to the memo, is $700,000 over 20 years.

A ranking system lists the top sites as the following:

Highway 158 off Deep Creek Road, the old landfill site, which contains 10 acres of land the city owns. Early evaluation lists this as the top site although there are wetlands issues and the soil must be examined.

Highway 158 at the old airport opposite the former Harley-Davidson dealership. This site is 50 acres and the biggest issue is sewer.

The industrial area behind Kennametal, a 30 acres parcel, which has access issues and would possibly need road improvements.

The industrial area off Patch Rubber Road, a 4.6 acre parcel, which has access and size issues.

Highway 301 behind Waste Industries, the old quarry site which has drop off and soil issues.

Chantilly Road near Coastal Lumber, a flat piece of land which significant earth work would have to be done, which would add to the construction costs.

Rhea-Smith Road off Sam Powell Dairy Road near the old airport, 44 acres of land with drainage and existing land use issues.