UNION TOWNSHIP- Tracy Meadows took advantage of one of the last few days of warm, sunny weather to clean her lawn furniture and store it away for the winter.

Across the road, leaves twittered on tree branches, making the only audible noise. On top of a hillside overlooking acres of Union Township woodlands, Meadows and her neighbors have a near-birdseye view of beauty.

"We love it. We like being out of town," Meadows said. She and her family, which includes two teenaged daughters, Rachel and Gabby, moved to Union Township nearly nine years ago from Huntington, W.Va. "This is a great place to live and raise a family."

Still, they can not help but notice that they aren't as alone as they used to be when they moved here. New houses are popping up in Union Township. And that is just what township officials want. "I think we're getting spill over from Rome Township," Union Township trustee Terry Porter said. He quickly named many good reasons why people move to his neck of the woods. "I think the schools are great. I'm very proud of Chesapeake schools. You know your neighbor here.

Everybody knows everybody. …And the view is awesome."

Porter said he would happy to roll out the welcome mat for others who are looking for a great place to live. "If you want a place to call home, that would be Union Township."