Cary council OKs $40,000 to study relocating Citizens Convenience Center after railroad grant

Town Manager Shelley Kern told the Cary Town Council on Dec. 11 that part of the Cary Citizens Convenience Center at 313 N. Dixon Street sits inside the North Carolina Railroad right‑of‑way and that the railroad has notified the town it received a federal grant that will require full use of its property.

"The railroad has given us until the 2026 as a goal to remove everything that we have that's currently operating in the right of way," Kern said, describing the constraint and the need to evaluate options. Kern said the facility, which handles residential solid waste, recycling and bulky items such as mattresses and televisions, sees roughly 250 visitors per day and about 90,000 visits per year.

Kern told council staff selected a consultant that specializes in designing convenience centers and recommended authorizing up to $40,000 from the general fund as a midyear appropriation to have the consultant develop options and cost estimates. "The first stage would be to have the consultant develop options so that we can better understand the logistics and cost associated with moving our operations," she said.

Council members pressed staff about the timeline and whether the railroad might extend its deadline. Kern said the town "has to be out of that right of way," but that some operational functions might remain on parts of the site if feasible. Public Works staff explained site egress and storage patterns and cautioned that moving operations will have logistics challenges.

Council Member (speaker 12) moved to authorize the $40,000 appropriation; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Kern said staff will return to council in early 2026 with options and cost estimates for next steps.

The consultant authorization covers feasibility and options only, Kern said; any design, construction or implementation would require additional approvals and funding.