Is there a way to turn off special resources? They can add a nice touch to the game, but often I find myself spending hours just building starbases and trying to keep them out of my enemy's hands.
I don't think that there is such an option and I would not use it
You are right, it's tedious to build all these constructors and send them to their destination. But what else do you want to do with your waste production when you need to build one ship on one of your planets?
Ressources add very high boni. Thus I use them. Just concentrate on a few ressources after the colonization rush and collect the others when the AIs destroy the starbases of their counterparts during war or trade for them later. e.g. when I plan a military attack I trade for the military ressources. When I want to culture flip I try to get their influence etc.