New York, NY —

A state judge has ordered the Bloomberg administration to bring the redevelopment of Randall's Island in the East River to the City Council for a vote.

The Randall's Island plan is controversial because the parks department is funding the project partly by promising private schools exclusive use of half of the 63 athletic fields there during peak playing times.

The court case involved a more technical matter: whether the redevelopment is large enough to require the City Council's approval. Now that the council is supposed to weigh in, the agreement with the private schools could change, although the reconstruction of the island is already well underway.

It's the second time in two years that community groups from the Bronx and East Harlem have won essentially the same case. This time, Judge Marilyn Shafer ordered to city to pay the plaintiff's legal bills.

The city law department says it will comment on the ruling later this afternoon.