公众参与程序是一种"具有功能意义的合法化程序"。一方面，公众参与有助于提升城市规划的科学性和可接受性；另一方面，公众参与可以化解城市规划所面临的合法性危机，能够为城市规划提供合法性的基础。当公众参与成为一项法律制度以后，规划机关为了确保城市规划的"合法律性"必须按照法规范的要求展开参与活动；同时，规划机关常常基于现实的考虑开展更多的参与活动，以促进规划的"合法性"。Public participation is a legitimate procedure with functional significance. In this context, public participation is helpful to improve the scientificity and acceptability of urban planning. It may also help to solve the legitimacy crisis of and to lay a legitimate foundation for urban planning. When public participation becomes a legal system, the planning authorities, to ensure the "legitimacy" of their urban planning, shall hold their activities in accordance with the rules and regulations. Meanwhile, the planning authorities may hold more activities for public participation based on the reality, thus promoting the "legitimacy" of their planning.