OLD TOWN — Officials at James River Corp. here expressed disappointment Wednesday over the initial rejection of their request to locate a landfill in the western part of the city.

On Monday, the city’s Planning Board accepted a plan to allow commercial landfills only in industrial zones. But the soil content in most industrial zones do not allow for such sludge dumps.

Therefore, the sludge dump proposed by James River has been essentially rejected by the Planning Board which has held numerous public hearings on the matter.

The issue now rests with the City Council, which will have the final say on the proposal.

“It’s very, very disappointing to James River,” said Wendy Porter, environmental engineer at the mill. “They (the Planning Board) essentially copped out.”

Porter said the board “proposed something to the council that is unlawful,” and that the site James River had chosen was the fruit of a long and vigorous search.

James River’s current landfill, located in Milford, expires in September 1992, and the mill maintains it needs a replacement to continue operation. “It’s the only option that is available,” Porter said.

Porter declined to say whether the mill would consider legal action should the council’s vote agree with the Plannning Board. “We would keep all of our options open,” she said.