A note from your neighbour

Building the next chapter of Emerald Drive, together.

Chantry Crossing is a 51-home extension of the Emerald Drive subdivision in Southampton. It's being led by George Marion, a 30-year resident and the developer of the original neighbourhood, with commitments to the Rail Trail, the tree canopy, and the community that already lives here.

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A letter to our neighbours

From George

Dear Neighbours,

My name is George Marion. I've been a member of this community for over 30 years, and I'm the developer behind the original Emerald Drive subdivision and its extension, Chantry Crossing. All of you are my neighbours. Some of you, I had the privilege of building a home for. This community means a great deal to me and my family.

You may have heard about the Chantry Crossing subdivision project. For some background: this project was originally approved in 2002 as part of the Emerald Drive subdivision and lapsed in 2015. We're revisiting it now, and we're glad to be, because it gives us the opportunity to bring forward an improved plan that reflects the community's values and delivers real benefits for existing and future residents alike.

Below, I've laid out what this project involves and what we're committing to. We've also heard your concerns about the road extension at Island Street and Cedar Bush Drive, and we've responded directly: the layout has been modified to a cul-de-sac on Emerald Drive to address traffic and safety feedback.

Our goal is smart development: the kind that listens to the community, invests in it, and delivers housing that Southampton needs. I'm proud of what we've all collectively built here over the past three decades, and I'm committed to ensuring this project makes our community better, not just bigger.

George Marion Resident & developer, Emerald Drive & Chantry Crossing
What we're committing to

Our commitment to the community.

These are the commitments we're making publicly and in writing to the residents of Southampton.

The Rail Trail, improved and extended

My family and I are regular users of the Rail Trail. We know it's one of the things that makes Southampton special, and we've been consulting closely with the Rail Trail Association — who have signed off on every change we've proposed and have raised no concerns about access or safety along the trail.

  • Only a small portion of the trail on our property will be realigned, and it stays fully protected from the highway by existing tree cover, plus additional plantings we're funding.
  • We will extend the Rail Trail to Adelaide Street for the first time in its history.
  • We will fund the conversion of the Peel Street walkway into a parkette, at the Rail Trail Association's request.
  • We will donate the Rail Trail lands to the Town so they are protected for generations to come.

Preserving the tree canopy

The tree canopy is one of the defining features of our neighbourhood, and we take that seriously.

  • We are preserving two acres of trees as protected open space.
  • That land is being donated to the Town, so the canopy is protected in perpetuity.

Density: set by County & Province

The project's density adheres to the binding regulatory constraints established by Bruce County and the Province of Ontario. Reducing the density is not an option available to us as the developer.

What is in our control (the tree preservation, the trail improvements, the traffic layout, the land donations) is where we've listened hardest.

Floodplain & stormwater

This is an infill development, the second phase of an existing subdivision that has been planned for three decades.

  • The SVCA has confirmed that previous development already addressed the floodplain hazard area.
  • This project will not move forward without a detailed stormwater management plan approved by the Town.

Traffic: studied, not assumed

Traffic is the concern we hear most often, so we didn't guess at the answer. We commissioned a comprehensive Traffic Impact Study from Paradigm Transportation Solutions Ltd., an independent transportation engineering firm.

  • Their recommendation: the development should be considered for approval with no conditions for off-site transportation improvements.
  • In plain terms: the study found the project's traffic impact does not warrant changes to the surrounding road network.

Brownfield redevelopment, done by the book

We've heard a clear preference from the community for building on brownfield sites rather than untouched land. Chantry Crossing is brownfield: the property was formerly a CN rail yard.

  • The Province requires us to complete a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, and a Record of Site Condition on any affected lots.
  • Phase I is already complete. Phase II will be finished shortly.
  • We cannot build anything until the Ontario Ministry of the Environment reviews all studies and soil testing on the affected lots and signs off that the site is safe for residential development.
We're listening

Changes we've made in response.

These are concerns we've heard from neighbours and are addressing directly in our resubmitted applications. We expect this list to grow as we keep hearing from the community.

A cul-de-sac on Emerald Drive

What we heard: Residents raised concerns about the originally proposed road extension at Island Street and Cedar Bush Drive.

Our response: The layout has been modified to a cul-de-sac on Emerald Drive to improve traffic flow and safety. This change is reflected in our resubmitted applications.

An expanded list of prohibited tenants in the commercial block

What we heard: Council and residents told us they're concerned about what kinds of businesses could end up in the commercial block.

Our response: We're proposing to expand the list of prohibited tenants to include gas stations, cannabis and vape stores, payday lenders, dollar stores, adult entertainment, tattoo parlours, and nightclubs. This change is reflected in our resubmitted applications.

No clearcutting — the canopy stays

What we heard: Residents are worried the existing tree cover will be clearcut to prepare the site.

Our response: We hear you, and we want to be clear: we will not clearcut the property. Tree removal will happen lot-by-lot at each property owner's discretion, and we expect many owners to retain a significant number of trees for privacy.

Your questions

What neighbours have been asking.

If your question isn't answered here, please get in touch. We'd rather hear it from you directly.

Is the Rail Trail being closed or destroyed?

No. The Rail Trail is being improved and extended. Only a small portion on our property will be realigned, and it will remain fully protected from the highway by existing tree cover, with additional plantings we're funding.

Beyond that, we're extending the trail to Adelaide Street for the first time in its history, funding the Peel Street parkette (at the Rail Trail Association's request), and donating the Rail Trail lands to the Town so they are permanently protected.

The Rail Trail Association has signed off on every change we've proposed and has raised no concerns about access or safety along the trail.

How many trees are being removed? What's being preserved?

We are preserving two acres of trees as protected open space and donating that land to the Town. Additional plantings are also being funded along the Rail Trail corridor to reinforce the existing buffer.

Will the property be clearcut?

No. We will not be clearcutting the property. Our approach is to leave the existing tree cover standing for as long as possible.

Trees will only come down where individual lot owners need to remove them to build their homes, and that decision rests with each owner. In many cases, we expect owners to leave significant tree cover in place — particularly along the edges abutting the Town-owned open space, where the trees serve as a natural fence and a more attractive backdrop than anything we could build.

How are you protecting wildlife?

We know how important wildlife is in Southampton, and we want to preserve as much of it as possible. That's why we're donating two acres of forested land to the Town — to keep the existing ecosystem intact and protected in perpetuity.

Combined with leaving the broader tree canopy standing for as long as possible (and the significant cover most lot owners are expected to keep in place), the goal is to maintain the habitat and corridors that wildlife already use here.

Why can't the density be reduced?

The project's density adheres to binding regulatory constraints established by Bruce County and the Province of Ontario. Ontario has set housing targets that municipalities must meet, and our plan must comply with the resulting density requirements.

Reducing density is not an option available to us as the developer. Where we do have discretion (trees, trails, traffic, land donations), we've used it to respond to the community.

Is the site in a floodplain? Is this safe?

This is an infill development and the second phase of an existing subdivision, planned for three decades. The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) has confirmed that previous development has already addressed the floodplain hazard area.

The project will not move forward without a detailed stormwater management plan approved by the Town.

Will this affect flooding on surrounding properties?

No — and our stormwater management plan is designed to improve the flooding situation for surrounding properties, not worsen it. The plan increases on-site infiltration, which means more rainwater is absorbed where it falls instead of running off onto neighbouring lots.

As noted above, the project will not move forward without a detailed stormwater management plan approved by the Town.

What's happening at Island Street and Cedar Bush Drive?

We heard concerns about the originally proposed road extension at Island Street and Cedar Bush Drive. In response, the layout has been modified to a cul-de-sac on Emerald Drive. This change was made directly in response to resident feedback on traffic flow and safety.

Wasn't this project cancelled in 2015?

The original approval dates back to 2002 as part of the Emerald Drive subdivision. That approval lapsed in 2015. We're now revisiting it, which is actually an opportunity, because it lets us bring forward an improved plan that reflects how the community has evolved and what residents care about today.

Who is behind this project?

The project is led by George Marion, a 30-year resident of Southampton and the original developer of Emerald Drive. Many of the current residents have a personal history with George. Some had their homes built by him. This is, first and foremost, a neighbour building in his own neighbourhood.

George is working on the project alongside his son-in-law, Brett Chang. Brett plans to move into the subdivision with his wife Sarah and their one-year-old daughter.

Who owns the land? What is SKG Holdings?

The land is owned by SKG Holdings, a real estate development and home building company that has been working in Southampton for over 25 years.

The name comes from the initials of the family: S for Sarah, K for Kathy, and G for George. George and Kathy built a number of homes on Knowles Lane and developed the original Phase 1 of the Emerald Drive subdivision.

How can I share feedback or ask a question directly?

The best way is to get in touch using the contact section below. We're committed to responding to every resident who reaches out.

The public record

Read the reports for yourself.

Every report, study, and supporting document for this project is publicly available on the Bruce County Land Use Planning website. If you want to read the technical assessments or the planning application itself in full, that's where to go.

Bruce County Land Use Planning

Look for the project Chantry Crossing — file numbers S-2025-004, L-2025-016, and Z-2025-027.

View the documents →

Get in touch

Questions, concerns, or just want to talk?

I'm Brett Chang, George Marion's son-in-law and co-lead on this project. This is a community effort, and we want to have these conversations directly with Saugeen Shores residents. If you have a concern that hasn't been answered, an idea for how we can do better, or you'd simply like to chat in person, please email me at brettchang@gmail.com. That's my personal email — not a form, not a generic project inbox, just me. I read every note, and you'll get a reply within 24 hours.

— Brett

Email Brett