I was thinking the same thing. I was watching the map and thinking about all the space there is for more lots. It would be awesome if the town had a small area with houses, and anoher where you can place some shops, retails... etc.
I wanted to open a bakery, but I don't want to destroy any of the residences there, besides, I don't really like the surrounding area for a bakery, I'd prefer some lot more integrated to the town just like the area where's the bar.
They should have swtiched the residential area to the part of the town behind the little bridge, where you can see the houses but you can't pass by. That would have been really cute. Imaging sims comming back home from the groceries and pass that little bridge on bike. Then, they could have left some space in the center of the town to place at least one empty lot.
I was imaging something like this
https://64.media.tumblr.com/b8c8715d645f32d31fab06568662a9f8/87e050df62ad7f88-0c/s540x810/84c5fbfbb86a891c6c59b5ee0ca8a80b784dc52d.jpg
