III. CURRENT SITUATION AND MAIN PROBLEMS IN PLANNING

The last General Settlement Development Scheme for the Territory of the Russian Federation was adopted in 1995. The Scheme mostly considered the perspective of immigration to Russia from the former soviet republics and migration within Russia from northern regions to more comfortable areas. In 1999 the Russian Government issued the resolution “On the Preparation and Approval of the General Settlement Development Scheme for the Territory of the Russian Federation”. The resolution stresses the need for regular updating of the Scheme and compliance of its modifications with the Urban Development Code of 1998.

Preparation and adoption of the urban planning documentation, designated in an explicit way by the Urban Development Code for the regional level, has not started yet neither in St. Petersburg nor in Leningrad oblast. General plan for St. Petersburg and Leningrad oblast adopted in 1987 is considered to be the basic document. In the meantime, Strategic Plan for St. Petersburg stating essential development goals and principles was adopted in 1998, and the Investment Strategy for the Rehabilitation of the Centre of St. Petersburg was approved in 1999. The Investment Strategy comprises the program of most urgent regional normative and planning documents to encourage investments. The General Plan Concept of the centre of St. Petersburg is currently in the process of approval. Within the framework of TACIS Synergy Project both - St. Petersburg and Leningrad oblast are developing a unified strategic policy in five main areas: Economic Policy, Spatial Planning, Transport, Housing and Tourism. The key focus is the development of an institutional and legislative basis for future co-operation between City and Oblast in the context of Northwest region. Environmental aspects are incorporated in all policy fields. The main outputs of the project are a strategic plan for regional co-operation, a joint organisation for future regional strategic planning, and the implementation of co-operation projects.

Once the general development objectives and strategies have been designed, the activity is directed towards the implementation steps. First of all, subjects of the Federation shall adopt at their respective levels legislation concerning urban development activity, and improve legislation regarding adjoining sectors like land policy, investment policy, property taxation, monument protection, public property management. Currently there are many competing initiatives and the essence of the problem is to control their compliance with valid legislation and the objectives already established.

Issues of the quality of the environment are dependent on local interests and possibilities. An important problem is political feebleness of the majority of municipalities in Russia at large, partly due to the tradition of the administrative prevalence, partly due to current legislation that does not grant enough power in urban development activity to local governments. This is a problem that cannot have a quick and easy solution.

There is no doubt that the set of essential regional and local plans will be adopted in a few years. Regarding the existing experience, one may anticipate the majority of difficulties with execution of the documentation new for Russian professionals and public authorities like detailed land-use plans, matching interests of all parties and inspiring future development. The first experimental attempts made for small areas in St. Petersburg represent very different methods and operational qualities. The Leningrad Region adopted the law “On the Unified Zoning Scheme for Leningrad Region” in 1999, aimed to unify the future zoning regulations for all areas.

The Russian contribution was prepared by Mikhael Berezin
Agency for Urban Research and Consulting (AUREC Ltd)
Tel.: +812 310 21 07
E-mail: mber@mail.ru

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