Theory and practice of participation of the population of the Russian Federation in urban planning activities (on the example of Leningrad Region)

Abstract

The participation of citizens in the implementation of urban planning activities is a form of public influence on the content of decisions taken by local self-government bodies. However, the attitude of scientists and the population of the Russian Federation to the institution of public hearings, as one of the forms of participation of citizens in the implementation of local self-government, is not unambiguous. The absence of binding decisions of the public for public authorities on issues of land use regulation may lead to a decrease in the activity of the population in these issues and cause spontaneous protest of citizens. In its current form, the institution of public hearings has little influence on the content of decisions taken by local self-government bodies in the field of urban development, and is a formal, but actually sluggish institution of direct democracy.