Stadtentwicklungspolitik in Kleinstädten

In many municipalities, the traditional procedures in urban development policy no longer meet current requirements for change. The author empirically examines these developments, highlighting areas such as a holistic approach, strategic political control, citizen participation, and quality assurance in implementation. The analysis reveals that local politics frequently plays a limited role in urban development, appearing to be more strongly influenced by the state and design offices instead. The author therefore advocates more self-assured and politically engaged local councils when it comes to strategic development issues. He provides specific recommendations for local political practice.