The zoning board’s decision came a month after the City Council voted to settle the city’s lawsuit against iStar, the Superblock’s current owner, as well as the former owner and developers of the property — Janow Associates LLC, Shore Road Development Partners LLC, Shore Road-Long Beach Superblock LLC, all subsidiaries of Philips International, a company owned by Philip Pilevsky, and Pilevsky himself — for $5.25 million, in order to clear the way for future development. The city filed the suit in 2011, claiming that millions of dollars in condemnation costs and legal fees still needed to be paid as part of its agreement with Pilevsky — who lost financing for his development.

‘Yes’ vote not condition of settlement

City officials said last month that approval of the variance was not a condition of the settlement agreement, while iStar said that if the zoning board denied its request, it would likely sell the property.

In a statement, a spokesman for iStar said, “iStar Residential is delighted with Long Beach ZBA’s approval of our residential project on the site known as Superblock. We look forward to being good neighbors and to starting on the single most exciting project on Long Island in 2014, showing that Long Beach is back and open for business.”

Representatives of iStar said that the revised project would take up significantly less space on the property. Though the new towers are taller, iStar Executive Vice President Karl Frey described them as more slender, offering better ocean views than those in the 2006 plan. And Frey insisted that 937 parking spaces for residents and guests — and 23 retail spots — would be more than sufficient.

But some residents said that the process was rushed, and that there should have been more public input. One official, who asked not to be named, said that the zoning board received nearly 100 letters from residents, most of whom opposed the project.