Visitors can judge a lot by the names of the streets in the city. When cities were just beginning to be built, street names appeared by themselves. They were called according to the occupations of the inhabitants, after the name of the person who built the first house, according to their geographical location and the nearby temple or other public building. In Soviet times, it became fashionable to name the streets of public figures and organizations. A lot of the same names appeared on the maps of cities. And some are subject to change.
Conversations about the need to change the names of many streets have been going on in almost all cities of Russia for many years. In the 90s, streets named in honor of the heroes of the Great October Socialist Revolution disappeared in some cities, which were considered simply a coup. The attitude towards its figures changed, the heroes turned into executioners, and accordingly, the old street names returned to the tablets. True, this was not done everywhere. The movement for the return of old names exists in our time, and it is possible that other streets will be called differently than now.
One of the tasks of the movement is to ensure that the names of people whose activities cause even the slightest doubt have disappeared from the maps of cities. First of all, these are political and public figures of the Soviet era, as well as some international organizations.
Dissonant names can also be changed. As a rule, they appeared spontaneously, and only then they were entered into documents. This happened not only in the Middle Ages, but also quite recently. Such streets often appeared on the outskirts of large cities or in newly built settlements. If the name does not contain any historical information, it can be changed.
The issue of renaming streets is decided by the local government. There is a renaming commission under the municipal administration. She makes a decision, and then sends the prepared document to the local council. The final verdict is made by the deputies. The procedure for renaming is determined by the charter of the municipality. In many cities, residents' consent is required.
When you decide that your street name needs to be changed, discuss the matter with other residents. Get advice on how you can change it. Write an appeal to your local government. Justify your suggestions. It is very useful to collect the signatures of residents, even if the charter does not require a poll or a referendum.
Give your appeal to the head of the local administration. He usually heads the renaming committee as well. Such letters are considered in the same order as all other applications of citizens. It can be sent by regular mail by registered mail with notification, by e-mail or sent through a secretary. In the first two cases, you should be sent an answer that the letter has been received. In the latter, print the document in duplicate and make sure that the secretary registers the letter. Such appeals are considered within 30 days. You may be invited to a meeting of the commission. Prepare for any questions.
Renaming streets is associated with serious financial costs. It is necessary not only to redo the signs on the houses. All institutions located on this street will have to change registration documents, stamps, etc. Therefore, municipalities are usually not very willing to make such changes.
