Government leaders here say they expect little in the way of change in Maple Shade in the next decade.

"We've had some housing development in the township, but we're no Mount Laurel, Evesham or Medford," George Haeuber, township manager, said of development in the 1990s.

Most of the new homes have gone up on single-lots, he said. The two biggest developments last decade had 19 homes each.

Township officials are exploring the possibility of buying an 11-acre farm along Collins Lane that could be preserved as open space. There are no other large tracts of undeveloped land.

Haeuber said affordable homes, taxes and utilities as well as good schools draw people to the township.

The owner of a home assessed at $95,701, the township average, pays about $2,848 a year in local taxes, including the school tax, county tax and open space fund. The municipal tax is about $439.

"We run in the middle of the pack," Haeuber said.

The average quarterly water and sewer bill is $142.

Often, residents start out in an apartment and move into a single-family home.

"If you grew up in this town, you seem to stay in this town," said Mayor Claire Volpe. "They tend to stay where they grew up."

With no empty land left for more development, township officials are concentrating on redeveloping what's already there, Haeuber said. Along Route 73, a Lowes Home Improvement warehouse opened last year, replacing a vacant department store.

Since the early 1980s, Lowes is the fourth business to occupy the site. Originally, it was a Nichols department store, then Price Club and finally a Caldor's before Lowes came to town.

"It's a very attractive location," said Volpe. "It's a prime location and Lowes was very, very interested. It certainly was great for us."

Closer to the center of Maple Shade, construction will start in May on 99 apartments for senior citizens. That land, along Forklanding Road just a block from Main Street, was once home to a lumberyard and a factory.

In recent years, Maple Shade has formed various committees from developing business along the highways to sharing expenses with the school. The House Remodeling Renaissance Committee is focusing on establishing programs that stimulate housing remodeling and general property improvements throughout the entire community.

Maple Shade has more apartments than single-family homes - 4,200 apartments compared to 3,900 homes. Many of those large apartment buildings are being refurbished. Kings Highway Towers, with about 400 units, is undergoing renovations. When complete, three-quarters of the units will be designated affordable housing.

"I think we like the way we are," said Haeuber. "We don't want to change as a community. We are very happy with what Maple Shade has become."