Confusion reigned at city hall on Tuesday over a simple document.

Who was actually recommending a zoning change, city staff or the property owner's lawyer?

Ward 5 Councillor Joni Baechler believes the document too closely resembled the format used by city staff to make a recommendation.

"I think its very troublesome. One of the amendments was proposed by the developer and it looked like a city letterhead structure and format and that made it really confusing for councillors," says Baechler.

Staff recommendations are influential because they draw upon the expertise of various city hall departments and have the best interests of the city in mind.

But the lawyer who drafted the recommendation says copying formats is routine and it makes a document more familiar and understandable for councillors.

"I don't believe that using the city's format is in any way misleading. In fact, it is trying to respect what the city protocols and formats are," says Steven Zakem, of Aird & Berrlis LLP.

Zakem adds that an attached letter acknowledged he penned the recommendation and not staff.

But Baechler says with dozens of complex reports are on the agenda, mistakes could have been made.

"We need to be clear on our formats that are city hall and we need to be clear what is being proposed by a proponent on any application," says Baechler.

"I think it was quite clear that the revised document was coming from me, I explained why I did it, that I was trying to reflect what I think planning and environment committee did that evening," adds Zakem.

The zoning changes were overwhelmingly approved, but had councillors paying even closer attention to their mountainous agenda.