Question: How should the City Manager address this situation?

Answer #2 is recommended. Continue to support staff’s professional recommendations for the workshop. The rationale is that Tenet 10 states that the manager should resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities and be free to carry out official policies without interference.  In this case, the Council’s responsibility is to establish a policy for the City to address concerns about building heights based on professional, objective data.  The City Manager has the duty to ensure a professional, objective approach to doing so, in order that Council formulates their policy.

Correct! Continue to support staff’s professional recommendations for the workshop. The rationale is that Tenet 10 states that the manager should resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities and be free to carry out official policies without interference.  In this case, the Council’s responsibility is to establish a policy for the City to address concerns about building heights based on professional, objective data.  The City Manager has the duty to ensure a professional, objective approach to doing so, in order that Council formulates their policy.

Answer #2 is recommended. Continue to support staff’s professional recommendations for the workshop. The rationale is that Tenet 10 states that the manager should resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities and be free to carry out official policies without interference.  In this case, the Council’s responsibility is to establish a policy for the City to address concerns about building heights based on professional, objective data.  The City Manager has the duty to ensure a professional, objective approach to doing so, in order that Council formulates their policy.