Тhe article deals with the legal regulation of the environmental aspect of the organization and functioning of the «smart cities» as a personification of the global concept of the development of the urban areas. The significance of the impact of technological transformations and digital innovations on the legal mechanisms of maintaining the right of the citizen to the safe environment and ensuring environmental safety of personality, society and state in the processes of urbanization are investigated. The impact of the concept of sustainable development on the formation of the environmental law institutions and characteristics of «smart cities» is analyzed. The ways of reinforcing of the concept of «smart cities» in the norms of current legislation, in the National projects of the Russian Federation and in the regional programs of development of the cities are considered.