since then the number of park visitors has increased continuously. besides the lack of proper roads, the area of prainha remained mostly unaffected by the urban development of the rest of the city, because of the lack of basic infrastructure, such as electricity and potable water - it was mostly a surfers beach.

in 1989, the santa isabel construction company presented a proposal to build a hotel and a condominium in the area. the project was rejected by the surfers association who saw this as a threat to the preservation of prainha's natural areas. that same year, the local town hall introduced a bill to transform prainha into a protected natural area.