3DNut

I am not sure what problem I was having, trying to re-address the issue almost a week later. Perhaps I wasn't checking Create Padding? Everything is working fine for me now.
 
Here is my entire workflow relating to AO creation, for any new users that it helps:
 
Q. How do I generate an Ambient Occlusion map?
A.
Paint Room>Textures>Calculate Occlusion
Light sources: Sphere + Hemisphere
Lighting Render Target = into new layer
Light count 128
Smoothing steps 0
After generating an Ambient Occlusion map, you can export it.
 
Q. How do I export an Ambient Occlusion map?
A. After generating an Ambient Occlusion map, go to File>Export Objects & Textures. Choose a location to save your model and then a window will come up that allows you to choose an AO map for export. Check Create Padding and a bleed to the margin will be added according to the settings found in Edit>Preferences>Padding Width. The AO map will be saved in the same directory that you save the object.

Alright, I have confirmed that enabling symmetry after leaving AutoParams does work...it is just a confusing dialogue because it makes it sound like you must enable symmetry before pressing OK, which is apparently not the case. Symmetry can be enabled as soon as you are given the option to paint density areas.

Thanks Michael. I can always count on you to try and help me out. Thanks for the tip, I will give that a try if and when I run into that problem again. I might have been experiencing a bug of some sort because I just restarted my computer and it was free sailing. Strange!

Q. What is the workflow to export PBR maps that are compatible with Unity 5?
A.
In the Paint Room go to Textures>Texture Export/Import Workflow and choose your preference.
Paint your model.
 
For Roughness/Metalness workflow:
Go to Textures>Export>Color/albedo Map (name it with _Albedo)
Go to Textures>Export>Normal Map (TS, Low-Poly Mesh) (name it with _Normal Map)
 
Go to Textures>Texture Export/Import Workflow and choose Gloss/Color Specular
Go to Textures>Export>Specular Color (name it with _Metallic)
(Optional) Go to Textures>Export>Emissive Intensity (name it with _Emission)
 
In Unity, using the Standard Shader:
Drag Color/albedo Map on Albedo channel
Drag Normal Map on Normal Map channel
Drag Specular Color Map on Metallic channel
Drag Emissive Intensity Map on Emission channel and choose emission color.

I discovered that 100% isn't the limit on the Opacity. I set it to 500% and that solved my issues

Thanks for your information carlosan. Here is the workflow for anyone who may benefit along with a few additional questions.
 
Q. How do I project a normal map on a high resolution mesh onto a low res retopologized mesh with completely different UVs?
A.
At the Splashscreen, select "Paint UV Mapped Mesh (Per-Pixel)"
Select the folder icon and choose your high resolution model.
In the "Import Object for Per Pixel Painting" dialogue, keep defaults except change Texture Width and Height and press Ok.
In the Paint Room go to Textures>Import>Color/albedo Map and choose your high res diffuse map.
Go to Textures>Import>Normal Map and choose your high res normal map. Press Ok.
Go to Textures>Texture Baking Tool and set the following:
Mesh to Bake to: Choose your low poly (retopologized) mesh.
Texture Width / Texture Height: Adust as desired.
Color Map: Specify output folder, filename and file type.
Tangent Space Normal Map: Specify output folder, filename and file type.
Press Ok.
 
Q. How do I get the Normal Map background to be RGB 128, 128, 255 or #8080ff when baking?
A.
 
Q. Is there a way to specify the background color of the color map when baking?
A.