MARIETTA - The Marietta City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to allow a dog park at Wildwood Park, as well as bicycle trails at both it and Burruss Nature Park. Officials hope the move will help curb illicit sexual behavior at the two parks.

Earlier this month, the Journal ran a story about men having public sex at the 28-acre Wildwood Park on Barclay Circle and the nearby 45.6-acre Burruss Park on South Cobb Drive near Cobb Parkway. The activity has reportedly been happening for decades.

"We're tying to encourage a different type of outdoor activity as opposed what's gone on there," Councilwoman Holly Walquist earlier told the Journal.

Since the reports, the Marietta Police Department has parked a patrol car at Burruss and its police tower has been alternated between the two parks. The city has also cleared the wall of vegetation that used to hide the Burruss parking lot from South Cobb Drive.

The off-leash dog park will be located on 1.24 acres near Wildwood's parking lot on the corner of Barclay Circle and South Cobb Drive. The council voted to allow for the park, but a budget amendment will have to be approved by the council to determine exactly how the city will pay for it. It was proposed that the city reduce funding for tennis court fencing at Lewis Park by $25,000 and use that to build the estimated $23,400 dog park. But that proposal needed unanimous consent by members, which Mayor Bill Dunaway said did not happen.

He said he will put the budget amendment up for a vote at a special called meeting in two weeks.

The city prohibits bike riding in public parks, but the council Wednesday added an exception in the city's ordinance to allow for the activity at Wildwood and Burruss parks.

City Manager Bill Bruton earlier said it wouldn't cost much to allow for biking in the parks since bikers would use the existing dirt trails. All that's needed is to erect a few signs and clear out some additional brush, he said.

Dunaway said the city will be hosting an "official inauguration of bike riding" at Burruss at a future date and he has invited Cobb County Chairman Sam Olens to see if his "50-year-old body can keep up with this 70-year-old mayor."

The mayor said if he cannot keep up with Olens, he would donate $100 to the charity of Olens' choice.