~ snip ~
Just curious, wouldn't that config has no effect since the default torrc configuration isn't technically enabled your node as a Tor exit relay and by default Tor already rejects it as a default config? or is there something to do with running the hidden service?
If that's the default config, then I reckon it's not needed. But better to have it than not; maybe default value will change in the future, so specifying it directly isn't a bad idea in general.
Creating a hidden service shouldn't set you up as an exit node, if that's not the default.