A Multifunctional Approach to the Legal Regime of a Land Lot: Analysis of Law-Application Practice

The paper examines several contentious issues of law enforcement related to interpretation of the rules regarding the legal regime of a land lot. Since the legal regime is determined by the lot’s category and permitted use, the author focuses on norms concerning the designated purpose of land. Monitoring of practice shows that administrative bodies differently assess use of a plot that corresponds to the type of permitted use established in the urban-planning regulations but contradicts the entry in the Unified State Register of Real Estate (EGRN), and likewise assess simultaneous use under several main permitted-use types — often treating such actions as violations. Having analyzed land and urban-planning legislation, rulings of higher courts, and the aims of the legal institute of land designation, the author advocates a multifunctional approach to the legal regime of a land plot. The study concludes that using a plot under several permitted-use types established for a given territorial zone, including entering such information in the EGRN, does not contradict legislation and aligns with the functional purpose of the norms regulating land legal regimes. The paper substantiates a proposal to abolish the obligation established in the Land Code of the Russian Federation for the owner to inform the EGRN authorities about the type(s) of permitted use of a land plot as an artificially created requirement.