@mdbergholm and just to correct myself - the issue was NOT temperature related. My layer lines are super clean now that I have my hotend dialed in, but that was not what was causing my defect. I had M376 H5 set in the probe section of my config. I copied my config from CNC kitchen since I was using all the same hardware I was trying to make it easier for myself. In the end I went through line by line and culled anything I didn't deem necessary and verified on the duet wiki any line I didn't understand. Setting M376 H0 keeps mesh compensation on for the whole print and no more issue right at 5mm height...
Again...just in case anyone else runs into it. Check fade height. Thanks @gloomyandy for suggesting it.