How can we zone new residential lots in TS3?

[Doc Doofus]

Has anybody thought about this?  Is there a cheat or tool I'm missing?

[LFox]

Has anybody thought about this?  Is there a cheat or tool I'm missing?

You don't.  EAxis removed that feature for the sims 3.  Talk about going backwards eh?  At least you can still change a community lot to a residental and vice versa.

[Gus Smedstad]

Ye gods, you're right.  I was kind of puzzled that there was no empty lot tool, but now that I've fiddled with it, it's clear you cannot place new lots, just dump houses on existing ones.

I can't think of any good reasons for this.  Beyond the fact that you need easy road access to any non-fishing hole.  This seems very lazy, they needed a tool to make the neighborhoods, why not make it available to the player?

One thing to keep in mind about completely scratch neighborhoods is that the new design has pretty hefty requirements for community lots.  There must be at least 19 specific unique lots (i.e. bookstore, library, school, and job lots).  A TS2 custom neighborhood could be a single residential lot.  In fact, I've done that, a "new settlement" with a single founding family, a residential lot, and an all-in-one community lot (in TS2 I didn't see the point of specialized community lots).

 - Gus

[Zazu]

At least you can still change a community lot to a residental and vice versa.

How do you change the lot zoning?  Does it work the same way as with Sims 2?

[crunk]

All of those community lots are only needed when you want to USE them. Totally blank hoods, while lacking opportunities for work and socialization, can be lived in and explored by sims. Also, deleting the school results in no school - no more school bus for your non-modern sims!

[mappam]

I just looked at the icons by the bulldoze and can't find any that allows me to create a community lot (or change it from residential).

Are there specific Community Items somewhere? Can you create a shop/store that sells food items (example)?

So How do you build a community lot - be it shop or park etc?

[mappam]

Thanks Jordi - I finally found it.

I guess there is no way to make a small convience store - it is just pre-made buildings or parks? Very few community items available.

[MasterDinadan]

I'm pretty sure you can put more than one rabbit hole on the same lot and have it fulfill all of the roles.  In Sunset valley, the grocery store, movie theater, and bookstore are all technically on the same lot, but it pops up 3 different icons on the map view.

[Zazazu]

Thanks Jordi - I finally found it.

I guess there is no way to make a small convience store - it is just pre-made buildings or parks? Very few community items available.

What would you buy? There are no sales kiosks.