Perfection of the public hearings procedure in Russia: two-stage model

Abstract

The article deals with the relevant problems of public hearings procedure on urban development projects. The authors examined the existing European practice of self-government of citizens’ their participation and role in public hearings’ identified the positive aspects of the organization of consensus conferences in Denmark. There are the results of conducted sociological studies using questionnaires’ focus groups (group discussions)’ expert survey and content analysis addressed to identify the attitude of residents of different cities of the Russian Federation to public hearings’. A significant amount of primary and secondary data was collected’ which allowed to establish a real picture of violations during public hearings procedure’ as well as to collect critical comments and suggestions of citizens. Having carefully analyzed the existing legislative documents’ the Urban development code of the Russian Federation in the new edition (2019)’ the authors developed a two-stage model of public hearings procedure’ offering a new methodological approach to the organization and conduct of public hearings and public discussions.