PRINCETON-BY-THE-SEA -- A draft plan by San Mateo County officials to manage the increasingly large numbers of surfing fans that turn out for the Mavericks Surf Contest will be discussed Monday night, according to the office of Supervisor Rich Gordon.

Officials estimated that 40,000 people congregated in a small area of coastline north of Half Moon Bay last year to try to catch a glimpse of the huge waves and some of the top surfers in the world.

According to Matt Jacobs, an aide to Supervisor Gordon, though the action takes place about a half-mile offshore and is not even easily visible from land, that doesn't stop huge numbers of people from showing up.

The event, which usually takes place between January and March, can have quite an impact on tiny Princeton-by-the-Sea, an unincorporated community of about 500 residents, causing traffic jams and rockslides that have resulted in injuries, Jacobs said.

In order to manage traffic and public safety, government and law enforcement officials plan to discuss new parking areas, environmental precautions and safety issues along the bluffs.

"The Mavericks Surf Contest is a very important event to the San Mateo County coastside and this collaborative public safety effort will help minimize the impact of 40,000 visitors on the local community," Supervisor Gordon said.

Fans will also be able to view this year's contest via a live Web cast at AT&T Park in San Francisco, according to Supervisor Gordon's office.

Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting with Supervisor Gordon and officials from the Sheriff's Office, Half Moon Bay Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans and others to hear about the plan and ask questions.

The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. Monday at the Harbor House Conference Center, 346 Princeton Ave., Princeton-by-the-Sea.