Huntington Beach : City Council Partially Lifts Fortunetelling Ban

Fortunetelling for money, previously banned in the city, will be allowed in Old World and other shopping centers in Huntington Beach.

The City Council partially lifted a ban on fortunetelling businesses via a new ordinance, effective July 17, that allows fortunetellers to apply for permits to operate in “highway commercial” zones.

The city’s moratorium on fortunetelling would have expired June 30. But a similar ban by the City of Azusa was thrown out by a state appellate court. The case is now before the state Supreme Court; Deputy City Atty. Bob Sangster said “the consensus of opinion is that the court will strengthen the law” limiting cities’ authority to ban such businesses.

Fortuneteller Cathy Merino of Redondo Beach has applied for a permit to operate in Old World, her attorney, Barry Fisher, said. Merino, who sued Huntington Beach last year, later dropped her suit.

“Huntington Beach sort of dragged their feet on it, so I called them up and suggested that they might not want to be brought back into court,” he said. “My client is very satisfied.”