Quick followup:

Turns out it is actually pretty easy to configure Start9 to allow access to electrs and bitcoind over LAN and not TOR. In case anyone else is wondering. Works no problem.

https://community.start9.com/t/how-to-exposing-electrs-and-bitcoind-over-lan-in-startos-0-3/754

As far as not running tor constantly, don't know yet if i can change that.