Community lot

A Community Lot is a public lot which serves as the basis for commercial or recreational buildings/facilities in a neighborhood, such as shops, parks, etc. These lots often provide important services for a neighborhood, such as selling clothes, groceries, and magazines; and providing gathering places and entertainment. Townies and playable Sims alike often appear on community lots to browse the goods, socialize or just hang around, so community lots are great places for Sims to make friends. Some (commercial only) objects can only be placed on community lots, and likewise some objects can only be placed on residential lots.

The Sims
Community lots first appeared in [The Sims: Hot Date]], and each Sim 1 expansion pack after that introduced a new sub-neighborhood with its own community lots. In order to visit community lots outside of Magic Town, Sims must call a cab, and may have to pay for the ride. (Magic Town's community lots may be visited by using the Hole in the Ground.) When Sims visit a community lot, their residential lot is saved, and will not change until they return home.

All Sims 1 community lots have an NPC who serves as a janitor. This NPC does general clean-up and repair work on the lot.

Except for Vacation Island lots and family members on Downtown lots, non-controllable Sims on Sims 1 community lots cannot be interacted with until they are either greeted, or autonomously interact with a controllable Sim.

Babies cannot visit community lots, and Sims will not be able to visit a community lot if that would leave a baby alone in the house.

The Sims 2
Residential lots also become static when a Sim visits a community lot. Babies and toddlers cannot visit community lots.

University
Young adult Sims are able to build skills on university community lots. Univeristy community lots cannot be visited by any other age group unless Sims in other age groups are invited by young adult Sims. Time is not held static on university community lots.

Nightlife
Nightlife introduces the ability for Sims to drive to community lots. In order for a Sim to drive to a community lot, it must own a car.

Open for Business
Playable Sims can buy community lots to establish businesses as an alternative to running a home business. A lot's owner, and members of their household, can build skills on that lot, though the progress bar will not appear.

Vacation
Vacation introduces the ability for Sims to walk to community lots.

Apartment Life
Apartment Life allows Sims to vist community lots in a helicopter if they own the helicopter and if there is a helicopter pad on the lot that they want to visit.

The Sims 3
Sims can perform the same actions on community lots as they do residential lots. Babies and toddler can vist community lots with an adult Sim. Community lots can only be placed on designated areas in the neighborhood. Time is not held static when a Sim vists a community lot. Several community lots are rabbit holes. Sims can own or be a partner of a rabbit hole. Sims can visit community lots by walking, riding a bike, or taking an autombile. There are not loading screens when a Sim visits a community lot.