The article raises questions of the formation of civil society around urban planning. The concepts of “public discussions” and “public hearings” enshrined in urban planning legislation are of interest to theorists and urban planners, not only because this is an obligatory stage in the adoption of urban planning documents, but also because more and more often citizens are turning to their right to direct expression of will in the form of public discussions and public hearings. The authors tried to analyze and suggest possible ways to increase the civic engagement of the local population of the municipality.