The Pinehurst Village Council has amended an agreement with the United States Golf Association (USGA) for the use of village property during the 2014 U.S. Open and Women's Open.

The two Opens will be played on Pinehurst No. 2 in consecutive weeks in June 2014. It will be the first time two championships have been played in consecutive weeks on the same course.

The council amended the agreement during its work session Wednesday morning. It still must be approved by the USGA.

The agreement says the USGA will pay the village $700,000 to use 75 acres of its property. The agreement is similar to one the two sides had in 2005, the last time the U.S. Open was played in Pinehurst.

Some of the land in the proposed agreement would likely be used for parking. Barns at the harness track will also be used for storage.

The proposed agreement runs from July 13, 2013, to Oct. 31, 2014, and gives the USGA exclusive use of portions of Cannon Park, West Pinehurst Community Park, the future public services property and Rassie Wicker Park for general championship purposes, including a parking operation during the period of June 7 through June 23, 2014.

The two championships will be played June 9 to June 22.

The USGA paid the village about $466,000 in 2005 for the one-week championship, Village Manager Andy Wilkison said. The association also contributed about $100,000 to the library and the arboretum in the village.

USGA officials expect as many as 400,000 people to attend the two Opens.

In other business, the council approved a plan to put out new street signs in the village's downtown historic district. The plan has three phases.

The council has yet to decide what the new signs will look like. The council has two prototypes from which to choose. Both are metal. Once includes a small decorative pine cone, while the other doesn't.

The simpler sign prototype is estimated to cost between $700 and $1,000 per sign. The other is estimated to be between $1,000 and $1,500 per sign.

As a group, the council seemed to prefer the less expensive option.

"I think the less decorative the better," said council member Mark Parson.

Contact Tom Embrey at (910) 693-2484 or tembrey@ thepilot.com.