A business lobby group has name-dropped the council on a flyer promoting a survey to 25,000 homes, but the council says it has had no involvement.
"We are working with the Wellington City Council to create a future plan for the Miramar Peninsula and we need your ideas," the flyer read.
A website for the survey had also said Enterprise Miramar was working "alongside" the Wellington City Council (WCC).
This reference has since been removed at the request of the council, but it remains on the 25,000 flyers put out into the community.
Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said WCC had requested Enterprise Miramar to "clarify" that the survey was not a council-sanctioned survey upon receipt of a promotional email received on Wednesday afternoon.
"WCC does work closely with BIDs (business improvement districts) but we felt the wording of this in the promotional material could have been interpreted as suggesting we were involved in this particular survey when it is in fact independent of council."
No council funding had gone toward the survey, though Enterprise Miramar, like all BIDs was self-funded through a targeted rate.
Council did not have a "particular view" of the survey other than that BIDs were entitled to carry out such research in order to inform their work.
An annual budget was prepared by each district at the beginning of the year and reported on at year end. Both budget and report were considered by council to ensure alignment with the purpose of BIDs.
One meeting had been held between council officers and an Enterprise Miramar representative from the BID to discuss "general aspirations" for the peninsula. The council had then been informed of the survey plans, but it was understood it would be conducted independently.
Council would be "interested" in the results but had no specific plans about how the information might be used.
Enterprise Miramar board chairman Thomas Wutzler said planning and design consultants Boffa Miskell had "put it all together" for his organisation, although Enterprise Miramar had reviewed the wording.
"We think it's important to be independent but work with the council. The survey itself is an Enterprise Miramar survey. Maybe we can make that more clear."
He said the survey had had around 500 responses so far, a 2 per cent response rate.
The engagement with Boffa Miskell for the survey and report cost around $5000.
"It's also the quality of the time people are taking. We're open to positive, negative or otherwise, it's to get people talking.
Enterprise Miramar launched the online survey on February 20. It would run until March 20.
It had been vocal in its opposition of a development of Shelly Bay, and had taken the council to court to contest the matter.
Boffa Miskell has been approached for comment.