CANTON — The village and Mace's Auto signed an agreement Thursday that requires the removal of all outside vehicles from the Gouverneur Street site by Aug. 31, 2009.

"I'm very encouraged," Mayor Charlotte C. Ramsay said. "I think the Maces deserve a lot of credit. A lot has been accomplished in less than two months."

Before all the vehicles are gone, Mace's Auto has until Sept. 15 to move most of the cars it has outside behind a storage building so they are not readily visible from the street or adjacent properties. The village agreed that Mace's Auto may have up to 12 vehicles parked out front as an advertisement that sales are taking place.

"They have to be operable," Ms. Ramsay said. "If this helps to sell vehicles and get them off the lot, that's our goal."

Under pressure from neighbors of Mace's Auto — who have complained that the condition of the site is undermining their property values — the village began pressing for changes.

The property was once an auto dealership but owner Frank J. Mace has for years dealt mostly in classic and vintage cars, many of which are spread throughout the six-plus-acre site.

Zoning regulations require a 200-foot buffer on all sides and village code prohibits the outside storage of non-operating vehicles for a period of longer than 10 days.

As of last week, there were 93 vehicles left outside, compared with the 184 that had been on the property. Mace's Auto has contracted to remove another 27, Ms. Ramsay said.

Meeting the requirement that the bulk of vehicles aren't visible from the street will necessitate a fence. However, Mrs. Ramsay said, she isn't expecting the Mace's to spend a lot of money on the barrier since it will be up for less than a year.

The neighbors would like the cleanup to move faster but are resigned.

"I feel we have to be patient and vigilant and give them time to dispose of the vehicles according to the agreement," said Fay MacDonald, who lives across the street. "We'll just keep watching."