In 2018, there were public hearings on 23 projects in the South-Eastern Administrative District

Resource: SOUTH EASTERN COURIER. DISTRICT NEWSPAPER OF THE SOUTH OF MOSCOW

More than 6.5 thousand residents of the district took part in the discussion of urban development projects

Moscow is changing rapidly, and today each of us can contribute to the development of the city. There are many ways to do this, one of them being public discussions and public hearings.

Behind the forest, you can see the glade.

Residents of Vykhin-Zhulebin proved long ago that they not only love their neighborhood, but also really care about its fate. The most vivid example is the fight to save the Zhulebinsk forest. For several years, people have demanded that the forest be given the status of a specially protected area. As a result, two years ago, with the support of State Duma deputy Peter Tolstoy, they completely banned any construction in this green area.

Then people began to jointly address the issue of improving the so-called "antenna field. The territory is very important for the district community: the inhabitants of Zhulebin for years rest here, and besides the field borders with the forest, which has long been protected. Therefore discussion came out violent.

As a result they came to a consensus: the forest remains a forest, and the clearing should be improved. Already there are proposals to plant 70 additional trees, arrange flower beds and flower gardens, arrange places for quiet rest, in the distance to make playgrounds for children. And, of course, not to forget the athletes. For them, we need to pave bicycle paths and Nordic Walking trails.

Where I live, I decide myself

Public hearings on one of the most pressing topics for a huge number of Muscovites - the topic of renovation - were held in Ryazan district. They discussed with the residents the layout of the new residential district and all the social infrastructure. The developers provided information on a planned school and three kindergartens, a sports and recreation center with a swimming pool, as well as the planning of yard territories, recreation areas, children's and sports grounds. As expected, the residents of the renovated buildings showed the greatest interest in the project. They provided the greatest amount of feedback and suggestions on the project under discussion.

The project was developed by the town planning bureau Master's Plan, the winner of the international competition announced by Moscow City Architecture Committee to develop the concepts for sites within the renovation programme in Moscow.

- Such meetings with residents help us a lot in our work. We get a lot of opinions, get to know their requests and needs. After all, new housing is built to last for many years. Moving is a serious step for the residents. They shouldn't feel any discomfort. This is why we approach the procedures of public hearings as openly as possible and try to take into account all points of view, - says the head of the town planning bureau "Master Plan" Yulia Zubarik.

Any changes must be discussed

According to Yuri Andrianov, head of Lublino Municipal District, deputies and employees of the district administration regularly meet with residents to discuss with them any changes in usual life.

For example, recently in Lublino district at public hearings the issue of land use at the intersection of Krasnodarskaya and Pererva streets was discussed. Today there is an open parking lot, but since the entrance is free, local residents park their cars there as well. There was an idea to build a multilevel parking lot there.

- When the question arose about the plans for the new facility, it was decided that area residents should have the right to continue parking there. On behalf of my constituents, I expressed the opinion that motorists of the district should have an opportunity to use the services of the new parking lot as well," Andrianov notes.

Hear everyone's voice

According to the data of the prefecture, in our district since the beginning of this year, there were public hearings on 23 urban development projects, in which more than 6,500 people participated. As Zulfiya Alieva, the Secretary of the District Commission for Urban Planning, Land Management and Development under the Moscow Government, says, the participation of so many residents in the public hearings is an indicator of the growth of civic engagement and competence of civil society.

- We use all the forms of information established by law, allowing residents to get acquainted with urban planning projects," she says. - First and foremost, of course, it is the media. With their current diversity, we try to work in all directions. These are printed publications, official sites of the prefecture and local authorities. We also use the information boards, which are located in the districts. It's very important that the people living in this or that area know what's going on in their area, and they can speak freely and make their point of view known. On behalf of my constituents, I voiced the opinion that motorists in the area should have the opportunity to use the services of the new parking garage as well," Andrianov said.

The material was published in the South-Eastern Courier newspaper (No. 41). You can read it here.