AUBURN — There could be neatly choreographed lights on Vista Drive again this Christmas season, but they're not there yet.

Jamie Loggins, the designer of the controversial light show, said they might not be back at all. He won't know for several days whether he'll have time to create the display.

"It's just like everything, it takes time to do and I haven't had much time," he said. "We've been working on them when we can. I hope to get to a point when I can tell people that the show is just a week away. But I'm not even at that point yet."

Loggins has presented the show on his front lawn for the past few Decembers, and he has been joined by neighbor Stephen Bang. The displays feature thousands of lights choreographed to holiday music broadcast on a low-power FM signal. People are invited to pull up to the curb, tune their car radios to the signal and enjoy the show.

Many have, prompting neighbors to complain to Loggins and to the city about traffic on their cul-de-sac.

The city considered last month charging Loggins a fee to pay for traffic control on Vista Drive and Park Avenue. That plan was voted down, clearing the way for Loggins to do the show.

"We couldn't afford to do it otherwise," he said.

But that means there will be no Auburn Police on hand to help direct traffic, unless it becomes a matter of public safety. Loggins, Bang and their families will be responsible for directing traffic if there is a show.

Loggins said he had 160,000 lights on his house for last year's show, and his neighbor had almost as many.

"It's a matter of testing the lights and then figuring out where you're going to put them," he said. "Then, you have to figure out when you want them to flash and set that all up. As long as it takes to just set up the lights, it takes even longer to create the magic."

As of Tuesday, Bang had put some decorations in his front yard, but Loggins had not. Loggins has set up a Web site, www.auburnlights.com. He'll update it as soon as he decides whether he'll host a show.

"We've had some people drive by, just kind of checking to see what we're doing," he said. "But the website is the best way to check."

staylor@sunjournal.com