Logo courtesy of Valley of the Sacred Heart Academy

DIXON, CA (MPG) – Valley of the Sacred Heart Academy has withdrawn its application to build a new Catholic school near downtown.

The decision came last month, several weeks after Dixon City Council tabled a request by the school to move forward with construction at the corner of North Second Street and East A Street, across from St. Peter Catholic Church.

“It's definitely disappointing; however, at the council meeting there was discussion of a land swap with the city,” Director Chris Simpson said. “If a land swap with the city happens in the future, we look forward to working with them.”

Valley of the Sacred Heart, which has leased classrooms at St. Peter's since the school's inception in 2013, will also consider other alternatives such as buying land elsewhere, either within city limits or beyond. 

“We are exploring all options,” Simpson said.

The school went before City Council on Sept. 1, seeking approval to erect an 11,539-square-foot Spanish colonial revival structure on the half-acre lot. 

That lot was reclassified as downtown mixed-use when city officials adopted the current zoning map in 2024.

As a result, the project would have required a zoning text amendment for a conditional allowance of a private school within the downtown mixed-use area, and Simpson said it was apparent that City Council members weren't going to approve such a move.

Among project opponents was Jill Orr, president of the Downtown Dixon Business Association and owner of Dawson’s Bar & Grill.

“Zoning is critical to keeping a viable, sustainable synergy downtown,” she said. “I’m sorry that the Catholic Church has been through this. Some better guidance should have been given them before they began the application process.”

School representatives approached city officials before purchasing the long-vacant lot nearly a decade ago to make sure the property was properly zoned for a school, and it was, Simpson said.

But because any approval the academy received years ago was informal, the school was required to get formal confirmation for the project.

In addition to the millions of dollars a new structure will cost, a revamped plan farther from St. Peter’s will likely require the school to add a chapel to the project, to enable students to attend daily Mass.

Valley of the Sacred Heart, a nonprofit entity, spent more than $200,000 on the project, between city fees, a traffic study and other expenses. It will not get those funds back.

Valley of the Sacred Heart Academy serves children ages 3-18, with plans to add an infant/toddler Montessori program. 

“We are eager to find land to expand our growing program, whether that is through a land swap with the city or via a private land donation or purchase,” Simpson said. “God has a plan that is better than ours. While we wait, we continue to serve our children and families.”