By Manny Grossman

In what some local Community Board 8 members are characterizing as a classic bureaucratic snafu, the city Department of Sanitation sent out enforcement agents to ticket illegal "open house" signs - primarily a weekend problem - on a Wednesday.

Not surprisingly, critics say, the city agency found "no violations."

On Aug. 28, Todd Kuznitz, director of the department's Enforcement Division sent Saul Scheinbach, Community Board 8's environment and sanitation committee chairman, a letter letting him know that the enforcement officers were sent out.

The agency was responding to a request by Board 8 chairman, Tony Cassino, who said the proliferation of "open house" signs dotting public green spaces and sidewalks in Riverdale each weekend was just as bad as graffiti.

Mr. Cassino sent a letter to John Doherty, Sanitation commissioner, on July 27, asking the city agency to step up its enforcement. In it, Mr. Cassino said, he indicated that the offending signs were placed on public property mainly on weekends.

That's why, Mr. Cassino was surprised to learn that that agents inspected Riverdale during the middle of the week. Still, he said he is not deterred by the mix-up.

"We will ask them to visit again on an upcoming weekend," he said.

As reported in the Aug. 16 issue of The Press, open house signs placed on public property around the neighborhood have been a continual thorn in the side of Board 8 members. Even after the article appeared, Weichert Realty signs continue to be placed on traffic medians, sidewalks and in public parks. Community Board 8 named that company the most persistent offender.

Yet, real estate companies are not usually ticketed due to numerous loopholes in the way current enforcement guidelines are written, Mr. Cassino explained. A new bill seeking to close those loopholes is currently wending its way through the Senate. Until that bill becomes law, both Mr. Cassino and Mr. Scheinbach had hoped that enforcement agents would go the extra mile to "blitz" offenders with tickets.

The Sanitation Department did not return phone calls seeking comment.