Rachel Crawford told the Ashland Board of City Commissioners on Aug. 28 that city code 13002, enacted in 1939, prohibits fortune telling and prevents her from operating in-person tarot and spiritual coaching services in Ashland.

Crawford, who identified herself as a professional spiritual coach and tarot reader, told commissioners she does not “predict the future” but uses tarot and reiki as tools to help clients find insight and guidance. “This ordinance is a direct violation of the First Amendment,” Crawford said, adding that similar ordinances have been struck down in court and that the city should not limit spiritual expression or commerce.

City staff (Reno) responded that he had received Crawford’s emails and arranged to meet next week to review the issue. Reno told the commission he intended to prepare materials for the commission and did not bring a repeal to the Aug. 28 meeting because the deadline for request-for-action submissions had passed. He also said he had not located any city staff message explicitly telling Crawford she could not apply for a business license and that he had not seen evidence she had submitted a full business-application for in-person services; Crawford said she had submitted a business application and was issued a license to sell physical products but was not allowed by the licensing form to seek approval to perform tarot readings.

Reno said some permitting questions — including whether an in-person tarot practice would be allowed near churches — must be evaluated through zoning and conditional-use permitting across departments. Reno and Crawford agreed to meet next week to clarify the application process and whether the city will place the repeal before the commission for consideration.

No ordinance repeal occurred at the Aug. 28 meeting; Reno said he expected to return to the commission with more complete information next week.