D.Y. Lapigin

Modern Russian cities that are under inability to accumulate funds and strategic uncertainty forced to develop models of strategic change based on numerous environmental factors. Operational mechanisms to improve exhausted their potential and adapted methods and systematically aligned methods of strategic planning for urban development or do not exist or they are not used. The paper presents an analysis of typical city development strategies (for example, regional CFD centers) with an attempt to determine the general and specific elements and their attributes inherent in the specified strategies. According to the analysis of the analyzed data set, a model typical strategy for the city - the regional center of the Central Federal District, with the definition of the key elements of the philosophy of a "vision", "mission", the strategic goals and, in fact the very formulation of the strategy. In conclusion, it should be noted that there are no universal strategies, especially for such a complex and multidimensional systems as cities. Because the combination of environmental factors and internal environment is always unique and reflects the characteristics of each particular city, then the process of developing a strategy and model strategies are always unique. "Copy" is good practice, is possible only with appropriate adaptation to the specific conditions and only in particular aspects and elements of the strategy, such as specific policies, programs and projects.