Take a look at some of the lots that Zazazu has done in her "The Buildings of SimCity4" series. While all the lots are technically playable (rather than just being neighbourhood decoration), she doesn't recommend you play the municipal or decorative lots, unless you have a truly awesome computer. The municipal and decorative lots are intended to be used as hood decoration. The multi-family and single-family lots are designed to be playable as well as function as decoration in the neighbourhood.
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Municipal lots.
These lots are meant to be decorative. They are facades only. All are zoned residential so they don't clog your taxi & walk-to menus. A couple (namedly the hospital and city college) are huge and will crawl like a drunken snail. The medical clinic, elementary school, and the police station, though, could definitely be played.
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Decorative lots.
This set contains decorative dwellings: apartment buildings which are probably too large to play well, but look great as part of the neighborhood
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Multi-family lots.
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Single Family lotsEDIT: to fix a typo