UPDATE 1:05 p.m.: The policy that the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to maintain provides equal access for unattended, semi-permanent displays on the grounds of the historic courthouse in Leesburg.

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Displays are open to all who apply, but the number of displays is limited to the ten locations on the grounds that have been designated as display sites. The Board also voted to limit the period of time for filing a display application to no earlier than one year before the date the display would begin.

The Office of the County Administrator has received six applications to date for displays, five of which are for the 2010 holiday season. Information about how to apply for a display on the courthouse grounds is online at www.loudoun.gov/courthousegrounds.

UPDATE 11:39 a.m.: The county voted 8-1 to keep the policy allowing the displays, religious or not. The one supervisor who voted against it says that the courthouse is a place to conduct court, not for any type of display.

ORIGINAL STORY

Summer isn't even officially over but neighbors in Leesburg are already talking about Christmas. Residents sounded off over holiday decorations on the Loudoun County Courthouse lawn. Tuesday night was their last chance to weigh-in before a final decision is made about the decorations.

Wednesday morning, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will decide if holiday displays associated with any religion will be allowed at the courthouse.

More than 50 people lined up to make their case to the board Tuesday night. The majority urged board members to allow the decorations.

"We have always had the freedom to exercise our freedom of religion... Not FROM religion, but OF religion," said pastor Gary Smith with the Leesburg Church of the Nazarene.

Donald Phillips of Leesburg stated, "Where was the issue 10 years ago, three years ago? All of a sudden in comes out at the 12th hour right before Christmas and it makes no sense."

But some people, like Landsdowne resident Rick Wingrove, disagree. Wingrove was the third to speak and calls religious displays an infringement on the separation of church and state. He's calling for a full ban on the courthouse grounds.

"This has been a special privilege provided to the religious community for a long time and that's an inappropriate collaboration between religion and government," said Wingrove Tuesday night.

The controversy started last year when groups opposed to the decorations challenged the legality of the holiday displays. While all members of the Leesburg Town Council support having displays the courthouse itself is a county-run facility. Therefore, it's up to the Loudoun County leaders to make this year's decision.

It's all set up a scenario few people anticipated.

Leesburg Mayor Kristen Umstattd told us, "I never thought it would become an issue. I was astonished last year and I'm surprised again this year."

Again, the Board of Supervisors is set to make its decision on Wednesday. Members will start deliberating around 11 a.m.