City Council Holds Fortunetelling, Annexation Public Hearings

City Council held public hearings on Monday dealing with fortunetelling and annexation.

No action was taken on either matter.

But many who spoke voiced opposition to any government action that would welcome the occult into the city in any form.

Linda Logan, of the Breath of God Christian Fellowship church on West Bel Air Avenue, said it would “impede the work of the church.”

Others expressed concern that students may use occult activities as bullying tools.

Mayor Michael E. Bennett said he was sympathetic to all of the concerns but that the city would have to abide by the law.

“This is a first amendment issue,” said Bennett. “We’re going to look at everything we can but we don’t have a lot of choice in this.”

City Council introduced an ordinance last month that could eventually allow fortunetellers and others who use “occult powers” to open for business inside city limits. Currently, such activities are prohibited under Article III of the Peace and Good Order section of the city code. But according to case law, the city cannot forbid such practices, City Manager Douglas Miller has said.

“It is what it is,” Bennett said Monday.

In other business, a public hearing dealt with a plan to annex nine acres of land to the west of the Higher Education and Applied Technology center between the existing campus and Aldino Stepney Road.

The proposed annexation has been submitted by Technology Campus LLC Property. The development would access the public water tower located on the Battelle Property, which also provides water for the HEAT Center.
There was no public comment on that matter.