Middleburg’s Economic Development Advisory Committee on Thursday outlined work to measure visitor activity in town, previewed a proposed sidewalk‑signage standard for council review and discussed midweek marketing to increase weekday commerce.

The committee said it has begun a contract with a vendor (Placer) to track foot traffic, visitor origins and event impacts, but presenters warned the dataset is new and not yet sufficient for firm conclusions. “We don't have enough data yet to really determine, but this is going to give us visitor demographics, the foot traffic, the event impact,” an EDAC representative said.

The committee recommended that the council adopt a sidewalk signage policy to balance wayfinding and pedestrian safety. The presentation said draft guidelines and marketing visuals are near completion and, once adopted by council, will define who places and removes signs and where signs may appear.

EDAC members also pitched a midweek marketing focus, noting businesses see opportunity to draw weekday visitors through social media campaigns and targeted events. “A lot of the businesses agree that the middle of the week is the best time,” an EDAC representative said. The group said it will pursue regional tourism partnerships and more frequent press outreach to business journals to increase visibility for new openings.

Council members and EDAC representatives flagged broadband and event Wi‑Fi as limiting factors for events and for visitor experience. “Wi‑Fi is a problem with a lot of the events we do. You start out with really great Wi‑Fi and then you add 5,000 people and it just drops off a cliff,” a council member said; EDAC and council discussed temporary boosters and coordination with event IT providers.

Council members praised the signage focus and urged rapid rollout to benefit businesses on Federal Street. The committee said it will return with final signage visuals and an implementation plan for council consideration.

EDAC said it also is tracking business openings and plans to offer resources to new retailers, including coordinated social media and press releases to drive leasing and broker interest.

The committee emphasized the project is still in benchmarking phase and that clearer recommendations will follow as the vendor’s data accumulates.