Structural and Functional Problems of the Urbanized Territory of the Lviv Region in the Context of New Administrative and Territorial Realities

An analysis of the spread of urbanized territories (cities, urban agglomerations) in the Lviv region in the context of the transformation of the status and functions of settlements as a result of changes in the legislation of Ukraine was made. Urbanized territories are considered as nodal centers of population resettlement, concentration of significant personnel, cultural and educational, intellectual and economic potential of the region. It was concluded that in modern conditions it is urbanized territories in all countries of the world that determine the priorities of social development. The classification of the cities of the Lviv region by population revealed some disproportions in the demographic hierarchy of settlements: 1) there are no large cities in the region with a population of 100 to 500 thousand people; 2) the number of small towns with a population of up to 10,000 people is relatively large, and 8 of them have a population of less than five thousand, which creates real threats for them to lose city status. At the same time, the presence of a significant number of small towns in the region can be considered as a favorable prerequisite and reserve for further urbanization, which will be possible in the processes of new industrialization of Ukraine. Taking into account the mutual location of cities, their historical and geographical features and modern territorial and functional relationships, as well as taking into account the spread of urban agglomerations, within the region there are four bands of urban settlement (Mountain, Foothill, Central and Pobuzhja’s-Styr’s), which differ in density and demographic potential of urban settlements. The comparative analysis proved that the level of urbanization of the Mountain Settlement Belt is the lowest and insufficient for the performance of organizational and service functions. According to the results of the administrative and territorial reform at the medium level, instead of 20 districts in the Lviv region, 7 new ones were created, and 15 cities of the region lost the status of district centers. In the same way, the status of cities of regional importance was actually leveled. All those cities that lost the status of district centers became the centers of territorial communities, which allows them to generally preserve the management infrastructure and personnel potential. All other small towns, which previously did not function as centers of district-type administrative units, with the exception of Dublyany, Vinnyky, Sosnivka, Stebnyk, Ugniv, became the centers of territorial communities. Granting the status of the center of the territorial community can ensure the transformation of those small towns that were not district centers into new centers of socio-economic advancement. The presence of 34 villages in the region, 16 of which have also become the centers of territorial communities, is a reserve for further urbanization of the Lviv region. The conclusion that new administrative districts have the most grounds for performing the functions of coordinating the balanced development of urban agglomerations, provided that they are given the appropriate powers and economic levers, is substantiated. It was concluded that the main features of the demographic potential and location of the cities of the Lviv region, in particular their high density and low average population, reflect, on the one hand, the limited level of urbanization of the region, but on the other hand, the presence of settlement potential for further urbanization, expansion and functional strengthening of urbanized territory This situation is a favorable prerequisite for the formation of a network of more powerful urban centers, testifying to the need for a new economic modernization of the region in general. Key words: urbanized territories, cities, urban territorial communities, urbanization in Lviv region, urban agglomerations, management of urbanized territories.