Three appeals have been filed challenging the San Rafael Planning Commission’s approval of a 17-story, 200-apartment building. The commission voted on Jan. 13 to approve the project at 700 Irwin St. near the northbound Highway 101 offramp. “State Density Bonus Law does not mandate automatic approval of requested waivers and concessions,” Dickinson and Kasbar wrote. “I would hope that (the) job of our San Rafael Planning Commission is to help maintain the environment of our suburban city of San Rafael for us residents and protect it from being destroyed forever.”Dickinson said he and Kasbar met for the first time at the Planning Commission meeting when the project was approved. Commissioner Aldo Mercado said that under current procedures, opponents of development projects are forced to appeal Planning Commission decisions to the City Council because the commission can only “rubber stamp” them.