COASTAL TERRITORY AND COASTAL ZONE: DEFINITION, CHARACTERISTICS, URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Mykhailyk Olha 
Published: April 2024

The purpose of this publication is to define the terms «coastal territory» and «coastal zone» from the point of view of their urban planning use, because the current legislative documents, normative sources, scientific articles, which raise the problems of development and preservation of coastal territories, do not give their clear interpretation.
As a natural phenomenon, the river and its coastal territory are an interdependent river ecosystem, which is a complex dynamic complex with paradynamic connections, where the exchange of substances, energy, and information takes place. The general boundary and configuration of the coastal territory is determined according to the maximum value of the influence of the river, taking into account its engineering and geological, microclimatic and spatial planning criteria. From the point of view of urban planning, the coastal area is a natural reserve of the urban fabric, which has a favorable potential for the formation of coastal zones in order to create a comfortable and safe urban environment.
The coastal zone is a part of the coastal territory and water area with regulated and unregulated economic activity, the functional purpose of which is the organization of a favorable environment for the life of the population in the zone of influence of the reservoir. Almost all coastal areas are favorable for urban development - the difference exists in the degree of complexity and cost of urban development of coastal areas, their transformation into coastal zones. The urban planning assessment of the coastal zone for the organization of a favorable and comfortable environment for people's stay here is a complex of engineering-geological, architectural-compositional, sanitary-ecological and economic assessments. The choice of techniques for the development of the coastal zone should be based on the principles of the formation of an expressive architectural and planning development, improvement of the urban microclimate, the formation of convenient public space and landscaped and recreational areas. It is unacceptable to build up the coastal zone with capital structures of the industrial area, with the exception of water management facilities, and the laying of transit main streets here. The functional purpose of coastal zones may change over time.
An assessment of the natural factors of coastal areas in relation to the degree of favorability of urban development of coastal areas and an assessment of coastal landscapes in relation to their functional purpose is given. It is noted that the main defining features of the coastal area, among many factors, are the geomorphological structure and microclimate.
The transformation of Kyiv's Dnieper embankment has been traced: starting from the 5th century, after passing through 4 main periods of formation due to the arrangement and beautification of the coastal zone, the Podil embankment today has lost its function as a public space. The transformation of the coastal zone of Kyiv into a center of limited elite housing and a transport corridor is an impoverishment of the life of the city, the loss of an important urban area. The development of coastal areas, as a natural potential in cities, should be carried out within the limits of current legislation and taking into account environmental norms to create a favorable urban environment.