The article considers the questions of the regulation of the usage process of settlement territories, the basic principles of settlement territory planning and the problems they generated. It is stressed that the modern settlement represents rather complex organism including not only buildings and constructions, but also complicated transport systems, engineering and social infrastructure, and the problem of rational usage of settlements lands is one of the major problem. The definition of land usage is given in the broad and narrow sense of the word. There is an explanation of the term “plot of land”. The groups of companies situated at the territories of different settlements are listed here. Functions of the local authorities of settlements are presented; the competence of local authorities of settlements is specified. The article outlines the settlement territory division into zones. Among them there are marked out such zones as: residential, public and business, industrial , engineering and transport infrastructure, agricultural usage, recreational appointment, specially protected territories, special purpose, placement of military objects, and others. The objects, which may be situated in each of them, are listed. The article asserts that the general plan of the settlement is the main legal document defining prospects of territorial development of the settlement. The documents developing on the basis of the general plan of the settlement are listed, and the time of performance of the general plan of the settlement is pointed out. It is emphasized that the development of town-planning documentation has to be carried out with observance of requirements of environmental protection, ecological safety and health regulations. It should be borne an existing state of settlement territories. As a result, the main directions of the regulation of the usage process of settlement territories are designated; the organizational and economic mechanism of regulation of process of use of settlement territories is schematically shown . The need for accurate rules of settlement territory building, which have to protect the interests of all participants of the relations formed during the building process, is emphasized.
